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The global stocktake is a five-year review process under the Paris Agreement designed to assess collective progress in reducing emissions, building resilience, and aligning financial support. Agreed upon at COP24, the process consists of three phases: information collection (2022), technical assessment, and the communication of findings by the end of 2023. While intended to spur increased ambition for 2025 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the document notes a lack of clarity regarding the integration of 'loss and damage' and the definition of 'equity' in evaluations. Non-state actors and initiatives like the independent global stocktake (iGST) are highlighted as critical for providing the data and accountability necessary to enhance the process.

The briefing identifies four key priorities for COP25: increasing national climate ambition (NDCs), finalizing rules for international carbon markets and common time frames, reviewing the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage, and advancing climate finance and capacity-building. It emphasizes the need for environmentally sound rules for carbon trading and the importance of integrating social equity into climate policy to ensure a just transition.

The document assesses the legal validity of Uniper's claims of 'de facto expropriation' and violations of 'fair and equitable treatment' resulting from the Dutch coal phase-out law. It concludes that the law is a legitimate exercise of state regulatory powers to meet climate goals and that Uniper had no legitimate expectation of regulatory stability for coal investments.

The review examines the impact of once-daily milking (1X) compared to twice-daily milking (2X) in goats and sheep. It finds a general reduction in milk production, though the magnitude varies by breed and lactation stage. While milk composition shows a slight trend toward increased protein and stable fat, animal health and welfare generally remain unaffected. The document also explores the potential for labor and energy savings, as well as the effects of omitting occasional milkings (12-13 times per week).

The report evaluates the fashion industry's transition to responsible viscose production, noting increased engagement from brands and some progress by producers toward EU Best Available Techniques (BAT) standards. While some European brands are leading in transparency and policy, many others—including several luxury and US-based brands—remain laggards. The document emphasizes that voluntary self-regulation is insufficient and calls for government legislation to ensure industry-wide compliance with environmental standards.

The document presents a series of recommendations from a coalition of NGOs to strengthen the EU Fisheries Control System. Key priorities include the mandatory implementation of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) to ensure compliance with the Landing Obligation, extending tracking and reporting requirements to small-scale vessels, and improving the traceability of seafood products. The NGOs also call for the establishment of an EU Fisheries Control Data Centre to address data gaps and the introduction of transparency requirements, such as making audit reports and sanction data public. Additionally, the document advocates for a strengthened mandate for the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) and the digitalization of the EU IUU Regulation's catch certification system.

The document provides statistical annexes detailing the frequency and magnitude of Member State requests for Total Allowable Catches (TACs) that exceeded scientific advice between 2017 and 2019. It tracks metrics for France, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Ireland, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, and Denmark, focusing on the number of comparisons where TACs were greater than advice and the average percentage by which they exceeded that advice.

The report finds that progress toward ending overfishing by 2020 has been too slow, with a majority of agreed TACs for 2019 still exceeding scientific advice. It highlights a systemic lack of ambition for stocks subject to precautionary advice and those classified as bycatch, while identifying specific Member States—including France, Ireland, and Spain—as frequent advocates for unsustainable catch limits. The document also criticizes the lack of transparency in the TAC-setting process and the potential for misleading reporting by the European Commission.

The production of basic materials accounts for approximately 25% of global CO2 emissions and 16% of EU GHG emissions. While industry commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050 is growing, current innovation funds and carbon pricing are insufficient to make climate-friendly technologies commercially viable. The Climate Friendly Material Platform proposes a policy package including a 'Climate Contribution' as an alternative to Border Tax Adjustments, Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCFDS), Contracts for Difference for Renewables, Green Public Procurement (GPP), and Product Carbon Requirements to stimulate investment and prevent the relocation of production to regions with less stringent climate policies.

The report finds that the production of fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO) for aquaculture is driving the collapse of fish stocks and compromising food security in India, Vietnam, and The Gambia. It establishes links between these unsustainable practices and major European retailers and aquafeed companies, arguing that current certification by the Marine Ingredients Organisation (IFFO) acts as a 'sustainability smokescreen'. The document recommends a total phase-out of wild-caught fish in aquafeed in favor of sustainable alternatives and a shift toward farming omnivorous or herbivorous species.

The report argues that the production of fish meal and fish oil (FMFO) for aquaculture is precipitating the collapse of fish populations and threatening food security in regions like India, Vietnam, and Gambia. It maps supply chains linking unsustainable and often illegal fishing practices to major European retailers and global aquafeed companies, while critiquing the Marine Ingredients Organisation (IFFO) for providing a 'smoke screen' of sustainability through its certifications. The document recommends a transition away from wild-caught fish in aquafeeds toward sustainable alternatives and the cultivation of species that do not require FMFO.

The report argues that the production of fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO) for aquaculture is precipitating the collapse of fish stocks and compromising food security in the Global South. Investigations in India, Vietnam, and The Gambia reveal rampant illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing, including the capture of juvenile fish and the use of illegal nets. The report establishes links between these unsustainable practices and major European aquafeed companies and retailers. It further critiques the Marine Ingredients Organisation (IFFO) certification as a 'sustainability smokescreen' and warns that the industry's reliance on finite wild-fish resources poses a systemic risk to the aquaculture sector's long-term viability.

The report finds that France significantly delayed the implementation of reporting requirements for the landing obligation until 2019 and failed to sanction any infringements in 2017 and 2018. It highlights a lack of effective enforcement at sea and suggests that the adoption of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) is a necessary step to improve data reliability and compliance.

The report examines Spain's compliance with the Common Fisheries Policy's landing obligation, which requires fishers to retain and record all catches of species subject to catch limits. While Spain has introduced guidelines and selectivity studies, the report finds a critical lack of effective monitoring and enforcement. Evidence suggests that reported data for 2017 and 2018—showing almost no infringements and very low discards—is likely inaccurate due to industry resistance and insufficient control mechanisms. The document recommends increasing the use of remote electronic monitoring, improving port infrastructure, and enhancing data transparency to ensure the sustainability of fishing quotas.

The report argues that austerity—defined as fiscal policy aimed at solving debt and growth problems through spending cuts and regressive taxes—leads to economic deterioration, rising unemployment, and increased inequality. It highlights that South Africa is deepening its implementation of austerity despite moderate debt levels compared to international norms. The author contends that these policies undermine constitutionally enshrined rights to health and education and proposes a shift toward a stimulus-based fiscal plan focused on progressive taxation and structural transformation.

A statement by the We Mean Business coalition highlighting that 87 companies with a combined market capitalization of over US$ 2.3 trillion have committed to align their operations with a 1.5°C warming limit and net-zero emissions by 2050. The text asserts that this corporate leadership demonstrates the viability of decarbonization and calls for governments to provide policy clarity, such as carbon pricing, to unlock further investment and economic growth.

The authors propose a green tax reform for Spain to address environmental externalities, arguing that the potential regressive nature of such taxes can be mitigated by redistributing revenues to households on an equal-per-capita basis. Using coupled microsimulation and computable equilibrium analyses, the study finds that this approach achieves a substantial reduction in harmful emissions and results in a progressive impact on the population.

ClientEarth identifies systemic failures in the implementation of the IED's 'Aarhus rights' across the EU. It argues that the IED's wording is too narrow to comply with the Aarhus Convention, particularly regarding public participation during permit updates. National implementation is further hindered by limited online information, high litigation costs in the UK, and a tendency for judges in Bulgaria and the UK to defer to regulators due to the technical complexity of the IED. Case studies from Bulgaria, Spain, and the UK illustrate these deficits, including the withholding of baseline reports in Spain and the lack of electronic access to permit applications in Bulgaria.

The document outlines a framework for Spanish seafood businesses to implement responsible sourcing through public policy commitments, risk assessments, and third-party verifiable traceability. It defines 'responsibility' as company behavior regarding environmental, social, and economic aspects, and 'sustainability' as the conservation of natural resources to meet present and future human needs. Key recommendations include strictly complying with legislation, identifying illegal, unreported or unregulated (IUU) fishing risks, and prioritizing fisheries certified by ISEAL or GSSI standards. The brief also calls on public authorities to improve fisheries control, enhance scientific stock assessments, and mandate Remote Electronic Monitoring systems to eliminate discarding unwanted catches.

The author argues that the European media business model is broken due to falling advertising revenues, the rise of algorithmic polarisation, and opaque ownership structures. This has led to a decline in rigorous investigative journalism and the rise of 'fake news' and state-sponsored disinformation. The text suggests that current technical and legal fixes are insufficient and that governments must provide financial support, such as grants and subsidies, to ethical, fact-based journalism to protect democratic norms.