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The Path of Least Resistance
The report identifies a trend of 'carbon leakage' where EU countries import electricity from non-EU 'offshore carbon havens'—specifically Turkey, Ukraine, Morocco, and the Western Balkans—that lack carbon pricing. Net imports into EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) countries rose from 3TWh in 2017 to 21TWh in 2019, with imported electricity emitting an estimated 26 million tonnes of CO2 in 2019. The document warns that up to 57GW of new coal power could be developed in connected or soon-to-be connected non-EU countries, potentially undermining EU emissions cuts. To address this, the authors propose a border carbon adjustment (BCA) for electricity imports to level the playing field for generators, protect low-carbon investments, and incentivise neighbouring states to adopt their own carbon pricing mechanisms.
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Document type: Report
Declaration for the Protection of Sacred Natural Sites
The ASSEGAIA Alliance launched the Declaration for the Protection of Sacred Natural Sites in January 2020, calling for the regeneration of the Earth to be central to decisions regarding these sites. The Declaration proposes a conservation model featuring a central 'no-go' zone and a buffer zone for ecologically sensitive activities, managed by Spiritual Guardians. The Alliance seeks to identify and protect such sites globally using international rights of Nature.
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Document type: Statement
Monitoring States’ Compliance with their Human Rights Obligations, in the Context of Climate Change
The document outlines the mechanisms of the UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies (HRTBs) and provides a strategic guide for climate advocates to engage in the State reporting process. It highlights the benefits of securing non-binding but authoritative 'Concluding Observations' to pressure states, provides examples of successful interventions in countries like Argentina and Norway, and details the five-step reporting cycle from initial submission to national follow-up.
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Document type: Briefing
Seguimiento del cumplimiento de los Estados con los derechos humanos Obligaciones, en el contexto del cambio climático
The document outlines the mechanisms of UN human rights treaty bodies (HRTBs) and provides a strategic framework for climate activists to influence state climate policies. It details the reporting cycle, the role of 'shadow reports' submitted by civil society, and the subsequent 'Concluding Observations' (COBs) issued by committees. While COBs are not legally binding, the guide argues they serve as authoritative guidance that can be leveraged in national advocacy, media campaigns, and litigation. It provides specific examples of recommendations made to countries like Argentina, Norway, and Spain regarding fossil fuels and air pollution.
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Document type: Guide
The path of least resistance
The report finds that the EU ETS region is increasingly importing electricity from non-EU neighbors with high carbon intensities, effectively importing emissions and creating 'offshore carbon havens'. In 2019, the EU ETS region imported 26 million tonnes of CO2, with a net import of 20 million tonnes. The authors argue that the disparity in carbon pricing gives a competitive advantage to high-carbon generators in countries like Turkey, Ukraine, and the Western Balkans. To combat this, the report recommends a border carbon adjustment (BCA) on gross electricity imports to protect the integrity of EU climate policy and incentivize decarbonization in neighboring states. It also warns that planned increases in interconnection capacity (31% by 2030) and new coal power projects (up to 57GW) in connected non-EU countries will exacerbate the problem.
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Document type: Report
Children’s Rights Obligations of States in the Context of Climate Change
The report details how the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) integrates climate change into its monitoring of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (ICRC). It analyzes the CRC's use of General Comments, State reporting procedures, and the communications procedure to hold States accountable for protecting children from climate harms. Key findings highlight a growing trend of climate-related recommendations, particularly for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and a strong emphasis on children's procedural rights to participation and education. The document also notes a landmark 2019 Joint Statement by five human rights treaty bodies asserting that failure to prevent foreseeable climate-related human rights harm could constitute a violation of State obligations.
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Document type: Report
Feasibility study for a financial instrument and a review of existing retrofit loan schemes
The report investigates the potential for a new on-tax financing model (EuroPACE) to drive deep energy efficiency retrofits in European residential buildings. It identifies significant market failures, such as long payback periods and knowledge gaps, that hinder private investment. Through analysis of four target countries and three successful case studies (Energiesprong, Oktave, and KfW), the document highlights that success depends on low-cost, long-term financing and the ability to aggregate demand. It projects a total lending potential for EuroPACE of nearly €4bn over ten years across the four primary countries, provided that penetration and renovation rates increase.
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Document type: Report
Refinancing EuroPACE loans in the European Fixed Income Market
The report concludes that the US model of ABS securitisation for PACE loans is not directly applicable to Europe due to regulatory differences, a lack of historical performance data for 'Simple, Transparent and Standardised' (STS) treatment, and diverse national legal frameworks. Instead, it recommends localised solutions such as covered bonds, residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), and aggregation platforms. The document provides a global market analysis of green bonds for low-carbon buildings and outlines standardisation principles for energy efficiency loans to attract institutional capital.
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Document type: Report
Guidance for national transposition of new EU directives relating to renewable energy prosumers
The document assesses the progress of transposing the RED II and Electricity Directives in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain as of September 2020. It finds that while most countries have focused on legal definitions, they have largely neglected the 'enabling framework' and the mandatory assessment of barriers and potentials required by EU law. The brief argues that simple 'copy-paste' transposition of EU definitions is insufficient and recommends a holistic approach that includes public consultation, political engagement, and specific support for vulnerable households and local authorities to ensure the success of energy communities.
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Document type: Policy brief
Carbon Market Watch agenda Autumn 2020
The document details Carbon Market Watch's efforts to ensure a 'green recovery' following the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically by countering corporate lobbying and pushing for more ambitious EU climate targets. It critiques the lack of progress in global carbon market rules (Article 6) and the perceived irrelevance of the CORSIA aviation scheme. The briefing advocates for expanding the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to include international shipping and phasing out free pollution permits for heavy industry. It also assesses the inadequacy of national energy and climate plans in several EU member states and warns against the misuse of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies as a substitute for emission cuts.
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Document type: Briefing
ЗЕЛЕН ЕВРОПСКИ ЖУРНАЛ
The document is a comprehensive collection of essays and interviews exploring the evolution of green politics. It analyzes the tension between 'green growth' and 'degrowth', the rise of Green parties in Europe, and the intersection of climate action with feminism, labor rights, and geopolitics. Key discussions include the critique of the European Green Deal as 'greenwashing', the impact of lignite mining in Germany, and the role of the 'Green New Deal' in the US as a tool for socio-economic transformation.
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Document type: Report
A WORLD ALIVE GREEN POLITICS IN EUROPE AND BEYOND
The document examines the evolution of political ecology, arguing for a shift from growth-based economic models to a 'social-ecological state' that prioritizes wellbeing and justice. It analyzes the electoral successes and challenges of Green parties across Europe—specifically in Germany, Finland, Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, Spain, and Poland—and discusses the 'Green New Deal' in the USA. Key themes include the intersection of climate action with feminism, labor rights, and geopolitics, while critiquing the 'green growth' and 'decoupling' narratives of the European Green Deal.
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Document type: Report
FALLING THROUGH THE SYSTEM: THE ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION CAPTIVE TIGER POPULATION IN THE TRADE IN TIGERS
The report examines the role of the EU's captive tiger population in the global trade of tigers and their derivatives. It identifies significant regulatory loopholes in the keeping and disposal of tigers, particularly in private facilities and circuses, which may be exploited by organised criminal groups to supply Asian markets. While accredited zoos are well-regulated, the report finds inconsistent national laws across the EU, a lack of centralised traceability registers, and weak oversight of deceased specimens. Trade data from 2013–2017 confirms the EU's continued commercial export of captive-bred tigers and parts to countries like Viet Nam and Thailand, which may stimulate demand and increase poaching pressure on wild populations.
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Document type: Report
Earth Negotiations Bulletin
The 2019 Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference, the longest in UNFCCC history, failed to reach a consensus on the operationalization of Article 6 regarding market and non-market mechanisms. While the conference achieved progress on the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage and the Lima Work Programme on Gender, it was marked by significant disconnects between scientific demands for ambition and the limitations of multilateral negotiations. Key unresolved issues, including long-term climate finance and common time frames for NDCs, were deferred to future sessions under Rule 16.
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Document type: Report
UNFCCC COP 25 Outcome Document Roundtable: “Resilience” Accelerating action to build a resilient 1.5-degree world
The document outlines a framework for building a resilient 1.5-degree world, focusing on three pillars: resilient economies, people/communities, and environments. It emphasizes the need to bring adaptation and resilience investment on par with mitigation, noting that current resilience finance is only around 5%. The report highlights specific global initiatives, such as the Insuresilience Global Partnership and the CRAFT fund, and provides a detailed annex of stakeholder contributions regarding data access, nature-based solutions, and the empowerment of marginalized groups.
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Document type: Report
Climate Action Tracker Global Update: Governments still showing little sign of stepping up
The Climate Action Tracker reports that current pledges put the world on track for 2.8°C of warming by 2100, while real-world actions suggest 3°C. Despite a 75% shrinkage in the coal pipeline since 2015, coal capacity increased by 63 GW in that period, and natural gas demand continues to grow rapidly. Conversely, renewable capacity is projected to increase by 1,200 GW over the next five years, driven primarily by solar PV and onshore wind.
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Document type: Briefing
Putting People at the Center of Climate Action
The commentary asserts that bold climate action is not a trade-off with economic growth but an engine for it, potentially delivering $26 trillion in net global economic benefits by 2030. It advocates for 'people-centered climate action' that uses inclusive processes to unlock benefits for marginalized groups, such as recycling carbon pricing revenues to support low-income households. The text provides sector-specific opportunities in energy, urban planning, and food systems, while emphasizing that adaptation investments of $1.8 trillion could yield $7.1 trillion in benefits. It highlights real-world examples from Indonesia, Canada, and Spain to demonstrate how low-carbon transitions can reduce poverty and create millions of green jobs.
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Document type: Statement
2019 GLOBAL CLIMATE AND HEALTH SUMMIT
The 2019 Global Climate and Health Summit agenda outlines a day of plenary sessions and breakout workshops held on December 7, 2019, in Madrid. The event featured international health officials, youth leaders, and policymakers discussing climate-health challenges, financing, and urban leadership. Specific thematic sessions focused on sustainable food systems, air pollution, and health equity.
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Document type: Organisational document
Domestic Climate Finance Mapping and Planning: Challenges and Opportunities Practitioners workshop held in the margins of COP25 December 6, 2019, Madrid Summary
The report details a COP25 workshop focused on domestic climate finance mapping. It outlines various tracking tools—such as Climate Budget Tagging and Climate Public Expenditure and Institutional Reviews—and discusses how these initiatives help countries identify funding gaps, build investor trust, and mainstream climate goals into national budgets. The document also identifies systemic challenges, including data gaps and the need for inter-ministerial coordination, while proposing the creation of a community of practice to share best practices.
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Document type: Report
Blue COP: Parties should look to Antarctic blue carbon for vision of non-market cooperative approach to emission reduction
The statement advocates for a non-market platform connecting the UNFCCC Paris Agreement and the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) to collectively account for carbon stocks in the Southern Ocean. It highlights that Antarctic blue carbon sites, which are expanding as ice melts, could store up to 160 million tonnes of carbon annually and act as a major natural negative feedback on climate change. By utilizing the ATS's existing framework where sovereignty claims are suspended, the authors suggest a way to bypass diplomatic obstacles to conservation and avoid conflicts over individual Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
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Document type: Statement