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The document analyzes climate obstruction in Argentina and Brazil, identifying a shift toward explicit climate denial under President Javier Milei in Argentina and a complex mix of agribusiness-led obstruction and state-driven fossil fuel expansion in Brazil. It highlights how developmentalist ideologies and economic lobbying in both nations hinder the transition to low-carbon economies, despite Brazil's recent efforts to reduce Amazonian deforestation.

The report assesses the circular economy (CE) strategies of Bogotá and Buenos Aires, identifying a common over-reliance on waste management and a lack of holistic, long-term visions. It emphasizes the critical role of the informal waste sector, which supports millions of livelihoods in the region, and advocates for their formal integration into urban governance. Key recommendations include adopting the 10-R framework to move beyond recycling toward refusing and rethinking consumption, improving waste infrastructure, and implementing extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes.

Six youth activists sued the Brazilian government, claiming the 2020 NDC update used an 'accounting trick' to increase allowable emissions while maintaining the same reduction percentages as the 2015 NDC. The plaintiffs argued this violated the principle of non-regression and the Paris Agreement. A federal judge denied the request for urgent injunctive relief, ruling that the updated NDC's goal of climate neutrality by 2060 and the nature of the calculation changes did not prove a lack of ambition or a violation of the principle of progression. The case is currently awaiting final judgement.

The research identifies a gap between the increasing concern of environmental managers in São Paulo's coastal zone regarding climate change impacts and the actual implementation of public policies for mitigation and adaptation.

The report identifies the waste sector as a critical source of methane in Brazil, primarily due to the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter in landfills and open dumps. While Brazil has an ambitious regulatory framework, including the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS) and the PLANARES plan, implementation is hindered by financial constraints, lack of technical expertise, and a failure to meet the 2024 deadline for closing open dumps. The document highlights opportunities in biomethane production, organic waste diversion (composting and anaerobic digestion), and international climate financing to help Brazil meet its NDC and Global Methane Pledge commitments.

The document serves as a legal reference guide, listing the specific laws and regulations used to implement the Brazilian Forest Code (Lei nº 12.651/2012). It details federal legislation and provides a state-by-state breakdown of the legal frameworks for the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA) in 26 Brazilian states and the Federal District. The listed legislation covers topics such as ecological-economic zoning, legal reserve compensation, the restoration of degraded areas, and the administrative procedures for validating rural property registrations.

The 2025 report by CPI/PUC-Rio reveals a significant but uneven acceleration in the implementation of Brazil's Forest Code. While the proportion of CAR registrations with initiated analysis rose from 15% to 24% nationally, and validated registrations nearly tripled, a deep gap remains between CAR validation and actual environmental recovery via the PRA. Progress is heavily driven by automation and 'compulsory acceptance' of corrections in states like São Paulo and Paraná, while other regions struggle with land tenure insecurity, lack of technical staff, and poor communication with landowners. Federal governance of the Sicar system has improved through a new partnership between MGI, SFB, and Dataprev, and the first national Environmental Reserve Quotes (CRA) were issued in Rio de Janeiro in October 2025.

The document clarifies the distinction between the CAR (the national database of rural properties) and Sicar (the technological platform that operationalizes it). It details the complex shared governance between the Brazilian Forest Service (SFB) and the Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services (MGI), particularly following the 2024 migration of data to Dataprev. The briefing assesses the progress of CAR data analysis, noting that while all states have begun the process, only about 3.3% of registries nationwide have been concluded. It highlights the role of automation tools—such as Análise Dinamizada, CAR Digital, and CAR 2.0—in scaling these analyses, while identifying persistent barriers including low data quality and insufficient technical staff.

The report provides a snapshot of the implementation of Brazil's Forest Code in 2024, focusing on the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Compliance Program (PRA). It highlights a steady increase in CAR registrations, reaching 7.65 million by November 2024, and notes that all states have now initiated the analysis stage, though this remains a significant bottleneck. While some states like São Paulo and Mato Grosso have made substantial progress through automation and legislative changes, only about 3.3% of all registrations nationwide have completed analysis. The report also details the expansion of the PRA, with 19 states and the Federal District having regulated it, and notes the increasing use of Terms of Commitment (ToC) for environmental recovery in states such as Mato Grosso and Pará.

The First Amendment to the Agreement for Scientific or Technological Cooperation between FAPESP and IAI extends the original agreement's duration by ten years, setting a new termination date of 7 January 2035. It also establishes new areas for information exchange and collaboration, including equity and diversity in science, traditional knowledge for climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation, scientific diplomacy via the IAI Regional Center for Scientific Diplomacy, open data and open science, and transdisciplinary science for public policy development.

Attribution studies in Brazil indicate that fossil fuel combustion increased the likelihood and intensity of recent floods in Rio Grande do Sul and droughts in the Amazon. Despite these impacts, the Brazilian government continues to support oil and gas expansion, with plans to increase oil production by 63% and gas by 124% by 2032. Petrobras, which controls over 90% of domestic production, is estimated to be responsible for USD 500 billion in climate damages between 2018 and 2023. While Brazil has pledged to reduce emissions by up to 67% by 2035 and has successfully increased wind and solar power to reduce reliance on hydropower, its overall climate policies are rated as 'Insufficient' by Climate Action Tracker.

The report analyzes private climate finance for Brazil's land use sector, focusing on thematic bonds, CBIOs, and BNDES operations. It finds that bioenergy and biofuels are the primary recipients of these flows, though thematic bond issuance for land use declined sharply between 2021 and 2023. The BNDES remains a central actor through direct credit, blended finance pilots, and the management of the Amazon and Climate Funds.

The ADAPTE project uses GIS to map the intersection of air pollution, extreme weather, and social vulnerability in Latin American cities. Findings indicate that PM10 and NOx levels in Mexico City, Santiago, and Bogota significantly exceed WHO standards. The research highlights that respiratory and cardiovascular mortality risks vary by city, season, and age group, with children in Bogota showing higher respiratory risk during cold seasons and elderly populations showing higher cardiovascular risk during the same period.

The report outlines a comprehensive strategy for transitioning Nigeria's mass transportation to electric buses, emphasizing the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) as the most viable procurement model. It identifies the transport sector as a major emitter, contributing approximately 15% of national greenhouse gas emissions. Using Lagos as a primary case study, the document details technical specifications for e-buses, charging infrastructure requirements, and the financial benefits of a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) approach. It recommends a phased 24-month implementation plan and policy reforms to encourage local assembly and renewable energy integration for charging.

The project establishes a Nitrogen, Society, and Environment Network (Nnet) to study the impacts of human activity on the nitrogen cycle across various Latin American ecosystems. It integrates empirical measurements of biological nitrogen fixation, atmospheric deposition, and fertilizer use with regional modeling to inform policy and environmental management.

The project aims to create a regional understanding of the nitrogen cycle in Latin America by measuring biological nitrogen fixation, atmospheric deposition, and the impacts of land-use changes. Initial findings include high nitrogen pollution in Venezuelan rivers, low biological nitrogen fixation in Chilean forests affected by copper mining, and the influence of urban and industrial areas on NOx concentrations in São Paulo. The initiative seeks to provide guidelines for policymakers to manage nitrogen and minimize environmental degradation.

Between 2021 and 2023, bioeconomy finance in Brazil averaged US$ 3.213 billion per year, heavily concentrated in planted forests and bioenergy. While private domestic sources provided 69% of funding, biodiversity-based products and the Northern region remain significantly underfunded compared to industrial crops and other regions.

Between 2021 and 2023, Brazil's bioeconomy received an average of R$ 16.6 billion annually, with 74% of funds concentrated in planted forests and bioenergy/biofuels. While domestic private sources provided 69% of the total, significant gaps exist in funding for native forests and biodiversity products, particularly in the North region. Innovative instruments like thematic bonds and CBIOs drive the majority of the funding, but these are limited to the most industrial bioeconomy sectors.

Between August 22 and 25, 2024, over 60 million people in Brazil faced extreme temperatures and wildfires exacerbated by climate change. High temperatures were forecasted to be five times more likely due to global warming, with anomalies reaching up to 10°C above normal in São Paulo. Wildfires have burned over 760,000 hectares in the Amazon and 1.3 million hectares in the Pantanal, with climate change increasing Pantanal fire intensity by 40%. On August 20, PM2.5 pollution levels reached 11 times the World Health Organization's recommendations, causing increased respiratory illnesses and affecting 10 Brazilian states as well as Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru.

The São Paulo Complete Streets Network, a partnership between WRI and the Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety, supported Brazilian cities in redesigning infrastructure to protect pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users. Between 2020 and 2023, ten cities in São Paulo implemented measures such as expanded sidewalks, cycle lanes, and reduced speed limits. These efforts contributed to a shift where the crash mortality rate in these cities fell below the state average of São Paulo in 2022, compared to 2021 when it was higher.