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Ukrainian, British, and European NGOs are calling on the US Congress to close a 'refining loophole' that allows Russian oil to enter the US market after being refined in third countries, primarily India. The NGOs argue that the US should ban refined products from any refinery that has imported Russian crude oil within the previous six months to reduce Russian export revenues and limit Russia's ability to fund its war in Ukraine.

The report finds that all forecast capital expenditure in new oil and gas fields is incompatible with limiting global warming to 1.5°C. It warns that relying on unproven carbon capture and removal technologies to justify continued investment increases the risk of a 'disorderly transition' and systemic financial instability, potentially leading to global economic losses of $23 trillion per year if the world fails to transition.

Global Witness calls on China to use the current revision of its Forest Law to prohibit the import of illegal timber. The organization argues that as a major importer of wood products, China's domestic policies significantly impact global deforestation and climate stability. The statement highlights that China is the largest economy without such a prohibition and suggests that implementing one would align with its international commitments under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and its role in global governance.

Global Witness traced the journey of Russian oil from the port of Primorsk to the UK via India, highlighting the use of a 'shadow fleet' of aging tankers and a refining loophole that allows Russian crude to be imported into the UK as refined products. The report identifies the role of Gatik Ship Management and the St Kitts and Nevis ship registry in facilitating this trade, and notes that refineries in Vadinar and Jamnagar process Russian crude for re-export to Western markets, including purchases by Shell and BP.

The report alleges that the Trump Ocean Club in Panama was used to launder illicit funds from Colombian narcotics trafficking and Russian criminal networks. It highlights the role of broker Alexandre Henrique Ventura Nogueira in facilitating these sales through anonymous shell companies and 'special purpose vehicles'. The document argues that Donald Trump and his family benefited financially from these transactions while failing to conduct due diligence on buyers, reflecting a broader pattern of licensing his brand to high-risk projects in jurisdictions with weak anti-money laundering controls.

The briefing argues that European and U.S. energy companies provided nearly USD 100 billion to the Russian government through oil and gas projects from 2014 to 2021. Using Rystad Energy data, the report identifies BP as the largest contributor, accounting for 80% of the total. The authors contend that these investments provided critical technological expertise and capital to Vladimir Putin's regime, persisting from the 2014 Crimea annexation until the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Global Witness reports that despite a 13% drop in Russian crude exports over five weeks, significant loopholes in UK and US sanctions allow Russian oil to enter these markets via blending and refining. Specifically, the 'CPC Blend' allows Russian-Kazakh mixtures to reach the UK, while Russian crude refined in India is imported into the US as gasoline. Additionally, the document criticizes Germany for allowing Siemens to export banned technology for Nord Stream 1 maintenance and notes the use of ship-to-ship transfers off the Suffolk coast to obscure oil origins.

Global Witness reports that while the US and UK have banned Russian-origin nickel, the EU has not, creating a loophole where Russian nickel is refined in Finland and then legally exported to the US. The report highlights the environmental degradation and human rights abuses linked to Norilsk Nickel's operations in the Arctic, the company's ties to the Russian military-industrial complex, and the challenges of conducting corporate due diligence in a repressive political environment. It recommends that the EU implement targeted sanctions on Russian nickel, maintain strict thresholds for the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), and prioritize circular economy strategies to reduce dependency on Russian minerals.

Global Witness argues that UNEA-6 missed a critical opportunity to regulate the mining industry for the energy transition. While a digital knowledge hub for environmental protection was established, the final resolution removed mandates for assessing regulations, tackling human rights violations, and addressing colonial extraction patterns due to resistance from several Member States. The document also highlights a lack of action on resource overconsumption by wealthy nations and calls for the UN and upcoming COP meetings in Azerbaijan and Brazil to prioritize a just energy transition and Indigenous rights.

The report alleges that ADNOC, led by COP28 President Sultan Al-Jaber, pursued nearly $100 billion in fossil fuel deals during the UAE's year as host, contradicting public claims that the summit was not used for commercial gain. It details specific targets in countries like Brazil, Azerbaijan, and China, and argues that the COP28 final text's ambiguous language on 'transitioning away' from fossil fuels allows ADNOC to expand production while appearing compliant with climate goals.

A Global Witness investigation found that up to 20 million barrels of Russian ESPO crude, valued at $1.5 billion, were likely sold above the G7 price cap of $60 per barrel between December 2022 and January 2023. The report highlights the involvement of British and European shipping, insurance, and trading firms, while noting a severe lack of enforcement and attestation collection by authorities in Switzerland, Greece, and the UK.

The document contends that US sanctions on Russian fossil fuels are undermined by a 'substantial transformation' loophole. While E.O. 14066 bans Russian oil, it excludes goods that have been 'substantially transformed into a foreign-made product', such as crude oil refined into gasoline in other countries. The author highlights that India and the Netherlands export refined fuels to the US that may contain Russian-origin oil, thereby continuing to fund Russia's war in Ukraine. Global Witness calls for the US, UK, and EU to ban all refined fuels that may have been produced using Russian crude.

The document examines the role of Russian fossil fuel exports in funding the war in Ukraine and critiques the reluctance of European governments to implement full embargoes. It highlights the discrepancy between corporate rhetoric and continued business operations in Russia, termed 'peace-washing', and argues against replacing Russian imports with other fossil fuel sources due to human rights concerns and climate commitments. Instead, it promotes a transition to renewables, citing that global electricity needs could be met by renewables by 2035.

COP30 resulted in the Mutirão Decision, which Global Witness criticises for omitting any mention of "fossil fuels" and failing to establish a transition roadmap despite initial ambitions from the Brazilian Presidency. The summit saw significant human rights progress, including the recognition of Indigenous land rights and the launch of the Leaders Action Network for Environmental Activists and Defenders (LEAD). Financial outcomes included an agreement to mobilise $1.3 trillion annually for climate action by 2035 and the tripling of adaptation finance, though the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) received only $6.6 billion of a desired $125 billion. The document highlights a contradiction between official negotiations and the influence of approximately 1,600 fossil fuel lobbyists, while noting the launch of the Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change to combat disinformation.

Global Witness reports that while the US has banned direct imports of Russian fossil fuels, it continues to import refined petroleum products from India that are derived from Russian crude. Analysis of trade data from the first five months of 2023 shows that the US imported 12.6 million barrels of refined products from India, with a high concentration coming from the Sikka port in Gujarat, which imports significant quantities of Russian crude. The author contends that banning imports from refineries using Russian crude would squeeze Kremlin revenues without significantly impacting US fuel prices, and urges a transition to renewable energy over increased domestic oil production.

The document explores the role of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae in converting organic waste into frass, a nutrient-rich excrement that serves as a bio-fertiliser. It argues that BSF frass can support regenerative horticulture by improving soil health and reducing the ecological impact of synthetic fertilisers. In South Africa, where fertiliser is heavily imported and food waste is significant, the brief identifies a potential market for frass production valued between R3.1 and R12.4 billion per year. However, growth is hindered by scaling challenges, low market awareness, and significant regulatory delays in product registration through the Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development.

The transition to renewable energy is expected to reduce dependencies on fossil fuel importers and lower energy prices, but it introduces new geopolitical challenges. The author argues that 'pipeline politics' will be replaced by 'grid politics', where control over interconnectors, hubs, and storage facilities becomes central. For Europe, while the transition offers a path away from reliance on Russia and the Gulf region, success depends on the EU's ability to manage internal divergences in national energy priorities and compete with Asia and the US in the clean tech market and for rare minerals.

The document analyzes the impact of the Trump administration's 'reciprocal tariffs' on the Global South, specifically Africa, and argues that these policies signal the end of preferential market access under AGOA. It suggests that African nations should respond by rerouting trade through the AfCFTA and BRICS, implementing targeted import substitution industrialisation, and creating collective bargaining platforms to negotiate with external powers.

The policy brief advocates for the G20 to push the IMF for a new $650 billion SDR allocation to address the intersecting debt and climate crises in the Global South. It argues that SDRs are a critical alternative to debt-based financing, as they do not require repayment and can be used for fiscal support, climate adaptation, and mitigation. The brief also recommends that the IMF revert its accounting of SDRs from liabilities to equity (as per BPM5) to prevent artificial increases in debt-to-GDP ratios and facilitate the donation of unused SDRs from advanced economies to indebted nations.

The author argues that international trade policy is shifting from a focus on economic efficiency and liberalization toward a 'multifunctional' approach. This new paradigm integrates goals such as climate action, labor rights, and national security as primary objectives rather than externalities. The transition faces national challenges, including the need to balance incommensurable goals and break institutional silos, and international challenges, such as friction with existing WTO rules and a growing divide between developed and developing nations' priorities.