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The document outlines six key actions for regional governments to decarbonize mobility: expanding electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, electrifying commercial and government fleets, implementing clean vehicle manufacturing standards, improving freight delivery efficiency, investing in public transit, and promoting non-motorized travel alternatives.

The document identifies buildings as contributing almost one-third of global emissions and proposes three primary actions for regional governments: implementing net-zero building codes for new constructions, requiring energy efficiency upgrades for existing buildings, and establishing energy efficiency resource standards (EERS) for utilities.

As of June 30, 2018, Australia and New Zealand have established themselves as leaders in the use of the Climate Bonds Standard, despite differing national climate policy environments. Australia's market is driven by major banks and sub-sovereign entities, with significant issuance in energy, transport, and buildings. New Zealand's market is more nascent, featuring a world-first green borrowing programme for geothermal energy. Both nations are noted for high levels of certification and best-practice reporting, though further policy support and project pipelines are needed to meet Paris Agreement targets.

The report analyzes the inevitable decline of Australia's coal sector, driven by the cost-competitiveness of renewables and falling global demand for thermal coal. It presents two domestic transition scenarios: a 'moderate' one compatible with Australia's NDC and a 'faster' one aligned with a 2-degree global goal. The document highlights the risks of sudden plant closures, using the Hazelwood power station as a case study to argue for more predictable, planned transitions and a 'just transition' framework to support affected regional communities and workers.

The document describes Australia's approach to maximizing domestic participation in the mining sector, emphasizing a 'centrally-driven and cross-industry approach' rather than mandated local content targets. It highlights the role of the Australian Industry Participation (AIP) framework, where targets are negotiated on a case-by-case basis. The study details education-to-employment pipelines, such as the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy, and the economic impact of the METS sector, which supports 1.1 million jobs. Key lessons emphasize the necessity of collaboration between government, industry, and education to maintain a competitive resources sector.

The report details Fortress Investment Group's ownership and funding of several high-interest lending entities. It describes OneMain Financial as the largest subprime consumer lender in the US, noting its use of ancillary insurance products and lobbying efforts to relax state lending restrictions. The text also covers Fortress's $150 million debt financing for ZestFinance, which operates Spotloan using a tribal partnership to bypass state usury laws, and its AUS$100 million facility for Australia's Cash Converters, a firm facing multiple class action lawsuits over fees. Additionally, it notes a $3.28 million CFPB penalty against Fortress-owned Security National Automotive Acceptance Corp for illegal debt collection practices targeting US servicemembers.

The report examines the discrepancy between the frequent WTO litigation of renewable energy subsidies and the absence of cases against fossil fuel subsidies. It argues that while political factors and the 'undercapture' of consumer subsidies by WTO law play a role, producer subsidies may still be actionable if sufficient evidence of adverse trade effects is provided. Through five G20 case studies, the authors highlight the difficulty of proving 'adverse effects' and the lack of transparency in subsidy notifications. The report recommends five avenues for reform: technical assistance, enhanced transparency, subsidy reform pledges, political declarations, and expanding the category of prohibited subsidies.

The briefing examines why fossil fuel subsidies have historically avoided challenges at the WTO, noting that WTO law often "undercaptures" these measures compared to renewable energy supports. Through a preliminary analysis of five G20 support measures, the authors find that consumption subsidies are particularly difficult to litigate due to a lack of specificity and difficulty in demonstrating adverse trade effects. To overcome these legal hurdles, the document proposes five reform avenues: technical assistance, improved transparency, political declarations, voluntary pledges with reporting, and the expansion of the ASCM's category of prohibited subsidies.

The report examines the risks of Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) and Coal Chemicals, highlighting their potential to expand coal reserves and increase greenhouse gas emissions. It details environmental failures in Australia, the US, and South Africa, and the massive scale of coal-to-chemical projects in China, concluding that these technologies are incompatible with a 1.5C warming limit.

The CADWAGO final workshop in Sassari, Italy, brought together 35 researchers and practitioners to discuss systemic water governance and climate adaptation. The event featured project findings on governance praxis and co-learning, external perspectives on catchment management in the UK and disaster management in Australia, and a field visit to Arborea, Sardinia. A central highlight was 'La Rasgioni' (the water court), a traditional conflict resolution process used to facilitate dialogue between dairy farmers and institutional authorities regarding nitrate pollution. Participants concluded that effective water governance requires moving beyond traditional stakeholder participation toward conscious co-learning and systemic designs that reconcile conflicting interests.

The research identifies a significant lack of mutual understanding regarding roles and responsibilities among flood risk stakeholders in Australia. Findings indicate that insurance providers felt ignored until the 2010–2011 floods, councils felt limited in their risk-reduction options, and the SES felt over-relied upon for response. The paper argues that achieving the shared responsibility vision of the 2009 National Strategy for Disaster Resilience requires better inter-stakeholder understanding and increased personal responsibility from residents.

The report argues that climate change shifts the probability curve of temperature and precipitation, making once-rare extreme events common. It highlights that while a 4°C rise in average temperature may seem small, it significantly increases the likelihood of deadly heat waves and catastrophic floods. The document cites specific examples from the United States, Russia, and Australia to illustrate the economic and social risks, attributing 90% of global warming to human activity and urging immediate emissions reductions and adaptation measures.

The document examines Australia's carbon pricing scheme, which began on July 1, 2012, targeting the largest emitters to achieve a 5 per cent emissions reduction below 2000 levels by 2020. It details the transition from a fixed-price period to a flexible cap-and-trade system, the role of the Clean Energy Regulator, and extensive compensation packages for trade-exposed industries and households. The brief highlights the importance of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme (NGERS) as a foundation for implementation and warns against locking in fixed prices during volatile international market conditions.

The report analyzes the intersection of Australian law and Indigenous-led conservation, detailing the pathways to land ownership, the evolution of joint management in national parks, and the emergence of Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs).

Australia possesses approximately 42,000 sq km of coral reefs, the largest amount of any single nation. While these reefs are the least threatened by local human pressures globally, they face severe risks from thermal stress, warming, and acidification, with projections suggesting over 95 percent of Australian reefs will be threatened by 2050.

The report analyzes Australian government support for biofuels, finding that total transfers reached approximately A$ 95 million in 2006–07. It argues that the industry is heavily subsidized compared to other sectors, with effective rates of assistance often exceeding 100%. The authors conclude that these subsidies are not cost-effective for reducing greenhouse gas emissions or displacing fossil fuels, as the cost per tonne of CO2-equivalent avoided is significantly higher than purchasing carbon offsets on international exchanges.

NAB is offering a ~$200 million Shared Portfolio of senior loans to Australian wind and solar projects, distributed via amortising Portfolio Notes. This initiative is part of a broader A$8 billion commitment by NAB to finance the transition to a low carbon economy by 2022, alongside targets to reduce its own emissions by 21% by 2025.

DNV GL has verified that Westpac Banking Corporation's Green Tailored Deposit product meets the pre-issuance requirements of the Climate Bonds Standard Version 2.1, specifically regarding Low Carbon Buildings (Commercial Buildings) and Wind Power Technical Criteria. The eligible asset portfolio as of 6 November 2018 totaled AUD 751.93 million, comprising commercial buildings and wind energy generation and transmission assets located in Australia.

Ember argues that Australia's 43% emission reduction target by 2030 is implausible without addressing coal mine methane (CMM), which dominates the energy sector's methane emissions. The submission urges Australia to join the Global Methane Pledge, improve its methane inventory to address potential underreporting, and adopt a 20-year emissions factor for domestic strategy to better reflect methane's short-term warming power.

Ember argues that Australia's Safeguard Mechanism must address the significant underestimation of coal mine methane (CMM) emissions, which it claims are 30-40% higher than reported. The response advocates for a faster baseline decline rate for the coal sector, the adoption of a 20-year Global Warming Potential (GWP) for methane, and a strict industry benchmark of 1-3kg of methane per tonne of coal. Ember specifically calls for a ban on new coal mines and expansions, noting that if 75% of proposed mines proceed, fugitive methane emissions could increase 1.5 times by 2030. The document also suggests that thermal coal mines should be phased out more aggressively than metallurgical coal mines due to the latter's role in steel production.