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The document provides a comprehensive overview of the WTO's efforts to discipline fisheries subsidies. It details three main pillars: prohibiting subsidies for IUU fishing, addressing subsidies for overexploited fish stocks, and tackling overcapacity and overfishing. The brief outlines the current areas of convergence, such as the use of FAO definitions for IUU fishing, and the remaining points of contention, including the specific triggers for subsidy prohibitions, the level of deference given to national or regional determinations, and the appropriate special and differential treatment for developing countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

The briefing argues that contemporary national populists in Europe employ a systematic strategy to capture the state by eroding liberal norms, dominating the information space, and subordinating the judiciary and civil service. By treating the government as a 'contractor' for a national majority, these movements justify the removal of institutional restraints to concentrate power in the executive. The author details a multi-stage assault involving 'trolling', 'building' parallel infrastructures, and 'automating' disinformation to create a facade of democracy while maintaining an effective monopoly on power.

The aviation sector has successfully lobbied the ICAO Council to change the CORSIA baseline to 2019 levels, effectively postponing the start of emission offsetting until at least 2024 due to the 2020 drop in flights. The author contends that this change is unnecessary given the low cost of offsets and that governments are failing by providing billions in bailouts—approximately 30 billion euros in the EU and 50 billion in the US—without binding environmental strings. The text calls for regional and national actions, such as kerosene taxes and the EU carbon market, to replace the failing global scheme.

The document analyzes the state of play in WTO negotiations to discipline fisheries subsidies, focusing on three substantive pillars: prohibiting subsidies to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; prohibiting subsidies to overfished stocks; and addressing subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing (OFOC). It examines the draft consolidated text's approach to scope, definitions, and the contentious role of special and differential treatment (SDT) for developing countries and least-developed countries (LDCs). The brief also outlines unresolved institutional issues regarding transparency, legal form, and dispute settlement mechanisms.

As of July 2020, 19 countries and the European Union have adopted net-zero targets. The document compares these targets across several dimensions: the coverage of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and domestic sectors, the target year for achievement, whether separate emissions reduction targets exist, the use of international GHG mitigation, and the legal status of the targets.

The document provides an overview of data-limited assessment methods and adaptive management frameworks, such as FISHE, to help governments identify overfished stocks and implement subsidy prohibitions even when comprehensive quantitative data is unavailable.

The report demonstrates that the S’Ena Arrubia and Corru S’Ittiri-Marceddì-San Giovanni wetlands provide substantial economic value through ecosystem services and the support of local aquaculture, tourism, and agriculture. It finds that a 'continued degradation' scenario would lead to significant losses in labour income and ecosystem service value, while a circular business model for reusing livestock manure could generate net benefits of EUR 81.3 million for S’Ena Arrubia and EUR 124.2 million for Corru S’Ittiri-Marceddì-San Giovanni. The analysis argues that the cost of maintaining these wetlands is far lower than the cost of replacing their functions with built infrastructure.

The report analyzes the 2022 updates to the Harmonized System (HS), which provide more specific commodity codes for environmental goods and sensitive products. Key improvements include the separation of solar photovoltaic cells from LEDs and new codes for electronic waste. The author argues that such specificity is crucial for accurate trade statistics and the negotiation of trade agreements like the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS). The document also proposes a 'wish list' of further specifications for the 2027 HS revision, including electrolyzers, fuel cells, and electrified aircraft and ships.

The statement argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has created an urgent need for governments to focus all resources on public health, specifically the procurement of medical supplies, vaccines, and medicines. It calls for the immediate suspension of trade and investment negotiations at the WTO, bilateral, and regional levels, asserting that such activities divert critical resources and personnel. The authors highlight that intellectual property rules under the WTO's TRIPS agreement and free trade agreements may obstruct the affordability and accessibility of life-saving supplies. The document demands the removal of all trade barriers and unilateral sanctions that hinder medical procurement and urges a fundamental rethink of trade rules that encourage monopolies and limit healthcare access.

Friends of the Earth International and a broad coalition of global endorsers call for an immediate cessation of trade and investment treaty negotiations. They argue that governments, particularly in developing and least developed countries, lack the resources to engage in these negotiations while managing the COVID-19 health crisis. The statement demands that trade negotiators focus exclusively on removing obstacles, such as intellectual property rules and unilateral sanctions, that hinder access to affordable vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics.

Mighty Earth and the VOICE Network express concern over the health and economic impacts of COVID-19 on cocoa farmers, who often earn under $1 per day. The organization demands that the chocolate industry implement emergency measures—including relief funds and health communication—and that governments in the US, EU, and Switzerland make corporate bailouts conditional on living wages, transparency, and the end of deforestation and child labor.

The document outlines a framework for WTO members to implement a potential agreement on fisheries subsidies. It suggests a general process involving the creation of subsidy inventories, the design of reform programs, and the establishment of inter-agency coordination mechanisms. It provides specific implementation steps for three disciplines: IUU fishing (focusing on infringement data and subsidy withdrawal), overfished stocks (focusing on stock assessment and precautionary removal), and overfishing/overcapacity (discussing various measurement and capping approaches). Finally, it argues that international donors should shift technical assistance toward subsidy reform and compliance, noting a current gap in donor support for these specific activities.

The report synthesizes the work of UN human rights treaty bodies (HRTBs), including the CEDAW, CESCR, and CRC, on climate change. It details how these bodies use state reporting, communications procedures, and general comments to hold States accountable for human rights violations caused by climate change and insufficient mitigation efforts. Key findings emphasize the need for highest-ambition emissions cuts, the phasing out of fossil fuels, and the protection of vulnerable groups, including women, children, and Indigenous Peoples.

The document examines the role of fixed-income instruments in funding waste management and circular economy initiatives. It highlights that while waste management is only the fourth largest category for green bond use of proceeds, there is significant latent potential and investor demand. The briefing details specific issuances from corporates and local governments in Europe, the US, and Asia, and discusses the barriers to scaling these markets, such as the lack of standardised definitions. It particularly emphasizes Japan's leadership in resource efficiency and the potential for green bonds to support its circular economy goals.

The document reviews the state of adaptation finance as of early 2020, highlighting the Adaptation Committee's projections of rising costs and the Adaptation Fund's operational milestones. It addresses the difficulty of tracking adaptation flows, noting that while finance increased by 35% in 2017-2018, it represents only 5% of tracked climate finance. The brief also contrasts the massive business opportunities in adaptation solutions with the urgent needs of vulnerable populations, arguing that adaptation requires a rethinking of production and equity.

The We Mean Business coalition calls for an 'ambition loop' where government policy and private sector leadership reinforce each other to tackle climate change. It highlights that over 1,140 companies, representing US$20.1 trillion in market cap, have joined coalition initiatives, while 17 countries have already established net-zero 2050 targets. The text emphasizes the need for governments to set policies aligned with a 1.5°C trajectory to provide businesses the confidence to invest in the transition.

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.

The document outlines a structured approach for organizations to submit shadow reports to UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies, focusing on how climate change and inadequate state responses violate human rights. It suggests a concise format (6-8 pages) divided into sections covering relevant human rights obligations, adverse climate effects on specific populations, deficiencies in national policies (such as NDCs under the Paris Agreement), and specific legal obligations under treaties. The guide includes a table of submission deadlines and contact emails for various committees, including the CCPR, CEDAW, CERD, CESCR, CRC, and CRPD.

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.

The guide outlines a structured approach for submitting parallel reports to UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies, emphasizing the need for concise, evidence-based documentation of how climate change and state policies impact specific human rights. It recommends a four-section structure: establishing the link between climate change and treaty obligations, describing adverse impacts on rights and vulnerable groups, detailing shortcomings in national climate responses (such as NDCs), and analyzing how these circumstances violate specific state obligations. The document provides practical submission tips, including recommended lengths of 6-8 pages, the use of visual aids, and a table of deadlines and contact emails for various committees including the CCPR, CEDAW, CERD, CESCR, CRC, and CRPD.