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The document examines the evolving landscape of corporate renewable energy procurement in China, highlighting a shift from government-led feed-in-tariffs (FiT) toward a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and a national Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) market. While on-site solar and direct investments are currently the most viable paths for corporations, the report notes that large-scale transaction mechanisms remain limited and dependent on provincial-level implementation. It identifies key drivers for corporate adoption, such as supply chain sustainability and market leadership, and details the barriers to interprovincial and intraprovincial direct power purchase agreements.

The report exposes the destructive nature of irresponsible rayon production, detailing water and air pollution, worker fatalities, and severe health issues in Asia. It identifies a direct link between these polluting factories—operated by conglomerates like Aditya Birla and Lenzing—and major global brands such as H&M, Zara, and ASOS. The document argues that while rayon is often marketed as a 'green' alternative, its current chemical-intensive production is unsustainable, and calls for brands to use their purchasing power to force a transition to closed-loop, non-toxic manufacturing systems.

The report exposes severe pollution from viscose production in Asia, where manufacturers dump untreated wastewater and emit toxic gases, impacting local health and ecosystems. It identifies direct sourcing links between these polluting sites and major brands like H&M and Zara, arguing that the 'green' image of viscose is misleading due to the use of hazardous chemicals like carbon disulphide. The authors call for a transition to closed-loop production systems and mandatory supply chain due diligence.

The report details how the viscose industry in China, India, and Indonesia causes severe water and air pollution, leading to health crises like cancer and birth deformities in local communities. It identifies a lack of transparency in fashion supply chains and argues that a small group of dominant producers, pressured by major brands, could rapidly transition the industry toward closed-loop, non-toxic production systems.

The paper contends that China's rapid development is driven by a 'learning state' capable of continuous policy iteration and adjustment, rather than a set of static policies. It critiques the tendency of African nations to import 'finished' Chinese policy models—like Special Economic Zones (SEZs)—without the underlying institutional capacity for experimentation and refinement. The author suggests that China-Africa cooperation should shift toward transferring the 'know-how' of policy evolution, potentially through new funding mechanisms and research collaborations that prioritize 'learning by doing'.

The document assesses the contribution of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to sustainable development in China's biogas sector. It finds that while the CDM can attract foreign investment and technology, the lack of transparent national sustainable development criteria and low incentives for CER buyers to prioritize sustainability often lead to poorly designed projects with low efficiency. The study highlights a disparity between the industrial sector, where wastewater treatment is common, and the livestock sector, which faces significant technical and financial barriers. It concludes that the CDM's second objective—advancing sustainable development—is often undermined by a 'race to the bottom' in criteria setting and a lack of international agreement on sustainability standards.

The U.S. is leading global CCUS development, driven by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, with over 120 projects in planning or construction. China is rapidly expanding its capacity, having commissioned its first million-ton project in 2022 and developing several large-scale demonstration projects. Both nations face significant barriers: the U.S. struggles with commercial bank financing and public perception, while China lacks a comprehensive regulatory framework and large-scale transport infrastructure. Under the Sunnylands Statement, the two countries aim to advance at least five large-scale cooperative CCUS projects each by 2030.

This case study examines the integration of climate change adaptation into China's Comprehensive Agricultural Development (CAD) program, specifically through the World Bank-financed Irrigated Agriculture Intensification Loan III Project (IAIL3) and a subsequent Global Environmental Facility (GEF) grant. Focused on the 3H Plain, the initiative aimed to address water scarcity and agricultural vulnerability by implementing drought-resistant crop varieties, water-harvesting infrastructure, and capacity-building for farmers, including rural women.