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The briefing finds that the global steel industry is not on track for net zero by 2050, as only a third of the top 50 producers have set 2050 targets. It highlights a critical gap in transparency regarding emission scopes and a concerning trend where planned capacity for coal-based blast furnaces significantly outweighs that of low-emissions projects.

The document analyzes the demographic transition of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, noting that all are facing population ageing while still in a middle-income economic phase. It highlights the risks of economic stagnation, fiscal pressure on pensions and healthcare, and the political challenges of raising retirement ages. The author recommends that BRICS members leverage their collective resources to invest in human capital, assistive technologies, and age-friendly urban planning, while sharing policy lessons to create a sustainable development precedent for other Global South countries.

The global steel sector faces significant challenges in decarbonization, with emissions intensity growing by 0.5% annually since 2010. While hydrogen-based Direct Reduced Iron (H-DRI) and Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF) offer paths to near-zero emissions, their deployment is hindered by high costs, limited green hydrogen supply, and a shortage of high-grade iron ore. The report highlights a geographic divide: the EU and US are shifting toward low-emission tech supported by subsidies and carbon pricing, while high-growth regions like India continue to expand high-emission Blast Furnace-Basic Oxygen Furnace (BF-BOF) capacity. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is viewed as a necessary but expensive tool for abating existing capacity, though commercial-scale projects remain limited.

The document discusses the shift from territorial to consumption-based emission tracking in Nordic municipalities to capture embodied emissions from imported goods and services. It highlights that imported embodied CO2 emissions in final consumption ranged from 45% in Finland to nearly 60% in Iceland in 2015. The brief identifies data collection across value chains as a primary challenge and notes that the Greenhouse Gas Protocol for cities (GPC) lacks detailed guidance for comprehensive consumption-based assessments.

The research compared seven machine learning and deep learning models using three data arrangement methods to predict soil moisture and the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) in Sweden. The study found that the temporal ARIMA model was most effective for local-scale soil moisture prediction, while the multi-features Random Forest (RF) model performed best for national-scale predictions. Overall, soil moisture was easier to predict than PDSI, with previous-year average monthly soil moisture identified as the most critical feature for prediction and mapping.

The Great Lakes region remains the heartland of US steelmaking, but its primary production assets face a critical transition to avoid becoming noncompetitive as global demand for low-emissions steel grows. While federal legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides significant funding and tax credits (such as 45V and 45Q), the report finds a lack of coordinated state-level industrial strategies. The document argues that the region must prioritize the adoption of Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) pathways—specifically those using renewable hydrogen or carbon capture—to maintain high-quality jobs and reduce local air pollution. Key bottlenecks include grid interconnection delays for renewable energy, the need for Class VI primacy for carbon sequestration, and a lack of steel-specific workforce retraining programs.

The executive summary evaluates climate adaptation policies in the Nordic region, highlighting a gap between the ability to identify risks and the lack of comprehensive monitoring systems. It notes that while adaptation is mainstreamed across public bodies, it suffers from low political priority, insufficient funding compared to mitigation, and a lack of economic incentives for the private sector. The document recommends reframing adaptation as transformation, improving knowledge generation for transboundary risks, and strengthening political mandates through Nordic collaboration.

The report concludes that while the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) remains the primary driver for industrial decarbonisation, current carbon prices alone are insufficient to trigger the massive investments required for deep decarbonisation in the steel and cement sectors. It argues that demand-side measures—specifically Green Public Procurement (GPP) and sustainable product regulations—can provide the necessary market signals to build technological capacity and avoid carbon lock-in. The study highlights that government-driven initiatives have significantly more potential than voluntary industry pledges, though the latter can serve as a short-term bridge. Key recommendations include harmonising low-carbon product definitions across EU Member States and exploring Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfDs) to bridge the 'green premium' cost gap.

The report concludes that all analyzed policy frameworks are inadequate for the robust deployment of carbon dioxide removals (CDR). Most frameworks fail to establish a clear firewall between emissions reductions and removals, often treating them as interchangeable through offsetting mechanisms. Key deficiencies include the absence of legally binding, separate CDR targets, the lack of a robust definition of CDR that ensures long-term permanence, and insufficient monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems. The authors recommend that CDR be strictly defined as a secondary climate function to balance residual emissions, supported by dedicated legal targets and rigorous accounting to prevent 'mitigation deterrence'.

The document argues that South Africa is not in an acute fiscal crisis, as current revenue shortfalls and expenditure overruns are within historical norms. It criticizes the National Treasury's commitment to austerity and poor planning, particularly regarding the public sector wage bill. The authors suggest that the real issue is a 'growth crisis' rather than a debt crisis, noting that the debt-to-GDP ratio is comparable to other emerging markets. To resolve budget gaps, the brief recommends utilizing the SARB's Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account, increasing borrowing, restoring the corporate income tax rate to 28%, and introducing wealth taxes, while cautioning against VAT increases.

The document argues that South Africa's current budget mismatch is within historical norms and does not constitute an acute fiscal crisis. It identifies a projected revenue shortfall of R67.2 billion and an expenditure overspend of R67.9 billion, attributing the latter largely to poor planning by the National Treasury. While the debt-to-GDP ratio (71.4% in 2022/23) is comparable to emerging market averages, the authors warn that the rising cost of debt and lack of economic growth create a medium-term sustainability risk. To resolve the mismatch without cutting public services, the brief recommends utilizing the R459 billion in the SARB's Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account, restoring the corporate income tax rate to 28%, removing tax breaks for high-income earners, and implementing a progressive wealth tax.

The report critiques the current linear economy and the limitations of the conventional circular economy, proposing instead a 'resource-balanced economy' (RBE) for the SADC region. It argues that the green transition's demand for critical minerals is underestimated and faces thermodynamic and material constraints. To avoid 'financial capture' and poverty traps, the authors advocate for 'anticipatory governance'—a proactive, systems-based approach to policymaking—alongside bioregionalism, re-localisation, and the renegotiation of resource trade agreements to ensure equitable and sustainable development.

The document details the real estate portfolios of MAVERIC consortium partners, who manage assets with a total market value of approximately SEK 590 billion (excluding Swedbank's mortgage exposure). It outlines the classification of real estate assets into residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, and explains the accounting standards (IAS, IFRS, and US GAAP) used for valuation. The portfolios are heavily concentrated in offices and retail space, with primary geographic focus in Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö.

The document outlines a synthesis of key scientific reports published between 2022 and 2023 to provide actionable guidance for the 2030 Agenda. It argues that current progress on the SDGs is languishing, with only about 10% of goals seeing significant progress, and calls for a course correction based on systemic, integrated, and science-based decision-making. The brief organizes its recommendations into ten thematic areas, emphasizing the need to move beyond GDP as a measure of prosperity, realign global financial systems to support low- and middle-income countries, and strengthen multilateral accountability.

This briefing outlines the landscape of climate risk reporting, distinguishing between physical, transition, and systemic risks. It details various international standards (such as TCFD, ISSB, and SASB) and EU-specific regulations (including SFDR, CSRD, and the EU Taxonomy) that mandate or encourage sustainability disclosures. The text highlights a shift toward 'double materiality' in EU law and identifies a growing need for standardized data and a value-chain perspective in real estate risk assessment.

The document examines how hydropower in Sweden is shifting from a baseload power source to a flexibility provider to balance intermittent renewables like wind and solar. This transition, coupled with industrial expansion in northern Sweden, increases the risk of ecological damage through hydropeaking and river regulation. The authors argue for a comprehensive, evidence-based planning approach that balances energy demands with biodiversity and community needs.

Reclaim Finance argues that the EU's climate targets cannot be met without a massive mobilization of private finance, which currently favors fossil fuels over sustainable energy. The organization proposes four key interventions: mandating a 6:1 clean energy to fossil fuel investment ratio by 2030, requiring robust and audited climate transition plans, applying the "do not significantly harm" principle to all financial services, and implementing preferential ECB refinancing rates for sustainable activities.

Following the 2023 NATO Summit in Vilnius, a delegation of young leaders from the International Military Council on Climate and Security (IMCCS) proposed three strategic priorities for the alliance: moving beyond token youth engagement toward substantive decision-making, integrating Indigenous Peoples' traditional knowledge into high-level climate security dialogues, and leveraging new NATO documents to push member states toward deeper climate mitigation and adaptation efforts.

The Coalition to Counter Online Antisemitism (CCOA), funded by Google.org and the TIDES Foundation through 2026, is a multi-stakeholder initiative designed to address the rise of online antisemitism in Europe. The project aims to bridge gaps between research, education, and policy by coordinating efforts across ten countries, including Germany, France, and the UK. The CCOA operates through three dedicated working groups focused on research, education, and policy to scale primary prevention and counter-speech efforts.

The report uses the Six Americas Super Short Survey (SASSY) to categorize Facebook users in 110 countries and territories into six groups: Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged, Doubtful, and Dismissive. The 'Alarmed' group is the largest in approximately 80 of the surveyed locations, with the highest percentages found in Chile (65%), Mexico (64%), Malawi (63%), Bolivia (62%), and Sri Lanka (61%). Conversely, the United States exhibits a higher proportion of 'Doubtful' and 'Dismissive' respondents (22%) compared to other major carbon emitters and is less 'Alarmed' (34%) than many of its peers. Regional analysis shows South America has the highest proportion of countries with a majority of 'Alarmed' respondents, while Southwest Asia and North Africa show higher levels of doubt or dismissal, particularly in Yemen (34%).