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This policy brief examines ESG implementation in Chinese-led infrastructure projects in Africa and Southeast Asia. It identifies key challenges including lack of transparency in loan contracts, weak domestic regulatory environments in recipient countries, and inadequate planning for long-term local capacity and land acquisition. The document recommends that the AU and ASEAN create joint platforms for ESG standards, that recipient governments increase transparency through the publication of loan contracts, and that local capacity building be prioritized to ensure project sustainability.

This report by the NewClimate Institute analyzes the impact of the global energy crisis on Southeast Asia, specifically focusing on Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. It argues that while these nations have implemented short-term measures to secure fossil fuel supplies and protect consumers, they have yet to address underlying vulnerabilities through structural shifts toward clean energy and energy efficiency.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics evaluates the role of biogas and biomethane in the energy transition, arguing that their use should be limited to hard-to-abate sectors. The document highlights that biogas only addresses a minority of agricultural emissions, faces significant economic challenges requiring subsidies, and carries risks related to fugitive emissions and safety.

This research paper examines renewable energy project financing via public-private partnerships (PPP) in Southeast Asia and Central Asia, noting a transition from hydropower toward solar and wind projects to meet growing energy demands and emissions commitments.

This research paper compares the Integrated MultisatellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) and Climate Forecast and System Reanalysis (CFSR) precipitation products against in-situ data from NOAA surface stations between 2001 and 2020 to guide the selection of satellite rainfall products for hydro-climatic applications in data-limited regions.

This policy brief summarizes a regional flagship report on the gendered impacts of climate change in Southeast Asia. It advocates for mainstreaming gender equality into climate-relevant sectoral policies to ensure socially inclusive outcomes and sustainable development.

This policy brief examines the challenges and opportunities for securing sustainable finance to support Africa's regional infrastructure agenda, specifically within the framework of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It highlights the gap between Africa's high climate vulnerability and its low access to sustainable finance, proposing lessons from the ASEAN region to improve project bankability and regulatory harmonisation.

This report by Zero Carbon Analytics examines how G7 economies are exposed to cross-border climate risks due to the interconnected nature of global supply chains. It highlights that extreme weather events in production hubs—particularly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America—can cause global price spikes, industrial production declines, and threats to food security in industrialised nations. The document argues that because manufacturing is often offshored to lower-cost regions, G7 nations must cooperate internationally to fund climate adaptation in developing countries to secure their own supply chains.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the bidirectional relationship between structural inequality and climate change, arguing that current economic systems and global environmental governance frameworks fail to address the inequitable distribution of resources and ecological space.

This research paper examines the relationship between business, human rights, and climate change within the ASEAN region, specifically analyzing the Philippines’ National Inquiry on Climate Change and its implications for regional governance and corporate responsibility.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics discusses the findings of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), specifically the Working Group II (WGII) report on impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. It outlines the severe effects of human-induced climate change on ecosystems and humans, the increasing frequency of extreme weather, the disproportionate impact on marginalised populations, and the critical need for transformative adaptation and mitigation to avoid catastrophic economic and social costs.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute explores the concept of water teleconnections—long-distance interactions between coupled natural and human systems—and argues that relying on a single water management narrative can lead to a misunderstanding of local challenges and the invisibility of water transfers through economic and physical connections.

This policy brief evaluates progress toward the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) goal of eliminating deforestation from agricultural commodities. It reports that while commodity-driven deforestation rates have declined since a 2016 peak, the 2020 target for ending agriculture-driven deforestation was not met, and current rates remain similar to those seen before 2014.

Infrastructure and extractive industries act as catalysts for deforestation by opening access to intact forests. Despite representing a smaller share of direct forest loss than agriculture, their indirect impacts are vast, driven by massive planned investments in roads and economic corridors. While some high-level policy alignments and financial safeguards have emerged, the document argues that a fundamental realignment of economic incentives and stronger enforcement of IPLC rights and environmental regulations are required to achieve forest protection goals.

The document describes the evolving landscape of the sustainable cooling community of practice, highlighting the growth of initiatives since the 2016 Kigali Amendment and the roles of various philanthropic, multilateral, and international organizations in coordinating advocacy, finance, and technical support.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the environmental, socioeconomic, and governance (ESG) impacts of Chinese ICT infrastructure projects in Tanzania and Cambodia. It concludes that while environmental impacts were minimal, socioeconomic outcomes were mixed and projects suffered from a lack of transparency.

This executive summary of the 2021 State of Cities Climate Finance report, produced by the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance with World Bank contributions, analyzes global urban climate investment flows and the enabling conditions required to close the investment gap. It establishes a framework for tracking urban climate finance and provides recommendations for city, national, and international officials to mobilize the trillions of dollars needed for low-carbon, climate-resilient urban development.

This executive summary of the 2021 State of Urban Climate Financing report, produced by the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance with World Bank contributions, analyzes global urban climate investment flows, identifies significant funding gaps—particularly in developing nations—and proposes a framework of 'enabling conditions' to mobilize the trillions of dollars needed for low-carbon and climate-resilient urban development.

This executive summary of the 2021 report 'État du financement climatique des villes' analyzes the current state of urban climate investment, identifies significant funding gaps—particularly in developing nations and for adaptation efforts—and proposes frameworks to mobilize the trillions of dollars required for low-carbon, resilient urban development.

This executive summary of the 2021 report 'O Estado do Financiamento Climático das Cidades' (The State of City Climate Finance), produced by the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA), analyzes current urban climate investment levels, identifies barriers to funding, and proposes frameworks to mobilize the necessary capital for low-carbon and resilient urban development.