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The document argues that States have a legal obligation under international climate change law and human rights law to implement effective, science-based measures to mitigate climate change, specifically through the phase-out of fossil fuels and the regulation of non-state actors. It asserts that failure to do so constitutes an internationally wrongful act, triggering responsibilities for cessation of harm and full reparation, including financial compensation for loss and damage.

The IAI Science Diplomacy Center (SDC) is a regional initiative designed to foster science-policy dialogue and collaboration in the Americas, particularly Latin America and the Caribbean. Between 2023 and April 2024, the SDC established three priority pillars: Capacity Building, a Knowledge Hub, and Emerging/Evolving/Innovation Issues. Key achievements include the launch of a Science Diplomacy Training Program for Policy Makers, the expansion of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) Fellowship program, and the development of a specialized science diplomacy curriculum with the University of Sao Paulo. The SDC is also building a Knowledge Hub to map experts, bibliography, and events, while engaging in strategic partnerships with organizations such as AAAS, UNESCO, and DiploCientifica to secure funding and expand regional training.

The report analyzes the growing prevalence of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) in free trade agreements (FTAs), noting a significant increase in references since 2018. It identifies five common rationales for their inclusion: cooperation, promotion, recognition, guidelines, and support. While VSSs can complement public regulations and drive innovative trade policy—such as using sustainability criteria for preferential tariffs—the report warns of pitfalls, including vague terminology, lack of enforcement, and the risk of VSSs becoming de facto market barriers for small-scale producers in developing countries. The authors argue that the effectiveness of VSSs depends on their credibility and the establishment of clear multilateral guidelines.

Between December 2023 and February 2024, carbon pollution drove abnormal warmth for approximately 80% of the global population. Roughly 4.8 billion people experienced at least one day of temperatures that would be 'virtually impossible' without climate change. The report highlights extreme temperature anomalies in the U.S. upper Midwest and Canada, as well as high Climate Shift Index (CSI) levels in tropical regions of Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Caribbean. It also documents associated extreme weather events, including record-breaking heat in Australia and deadly floods in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The author criticizes the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) for its decision in Cangi and Others v. Turkey, where the Court declared the application of four applicants inadmissible because they did not live near the Kışladağ-Uşak open-pit gold mine. The commentary argues that by ignoring the Aarhus Convention, the Court applied a strict reading of Article 6 ECHR that contradicts its own previous flexible approach to the standing of environmental associations and individuals who are not personally affected by a project's proximity.

The document explains the distinction between cap-and-trade systems (ETS) and baseline-and-credit mechanisms, detailing the evolution from Kyoto Protocol markets to the Paris Agreement's Article 6. It critiques carbon offsetting for enabling greenwashing and failing to reduce absolute emissions, while highlighting the specific shortcomings of CORSIA and REDD+. The guide advocates for a shift toward a 'climate contribution' approach where credits are cancelled without offsetting claims to support global climate action.

The document explains the distinction between emissions trading systems (ETS) and carbon credit attribution mechanisms, detailing the evolution from the Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement. It critically assesses the effectiveness of various market mechanisms, including Article 6.2 and 6.4, CORSIA, and REDD+, highlighting systemic risks such as 'hot air', double counting, and greenwashing. The guide argues against the use of offsets for carbon neutrality and proposes a 'climate contribution' approach instead.

The document explains the difference between cap-and-trade systems and carbon credit mechanisms, detailing the evolution from the Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement. It critiques carbon offsetting as a tool for greenwashing and argues for a shift toward 'climate contributions' where credits are retired without claims of neutrality.

The document serves as a comprehensive primer on carbon markets, distinguishing between emissions trading systems (cap-and-trade) and credit-based mechanisms. It details the evolution from the Kyoto Protocol's mechanisms to the Paris Agreement's Article 6, while critically assessing the risks of carbon offsetting, such as 'greenwashing' and the 'hot air' problem. The guide also examines the CORSIA framework for aviation and the private certification standards of the voluntary market, ultimately advocating for a shift from offsetting to a 'climate contribution' model.

The Institute for Economic Justice argues that South Africa's National Treasury has unnecessarily cut social spending by failing to mobilize available resources. The brief identifies significant revenue potential through the removal of regressive tax breaks for high earners, the introduction of wealth and financial transaction taxes, and the utilization of the Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account (GFECRA). It recommends restoring the Corporate Income Tax rate to 28% and implementing a progressive Social Security Tax to fund social protections.

The document outlines a proposed international framework for AI auditing designed to move beyond current fragmented approaches. It emphasizes the need for common standards, auditor independence, and the inclusion of diverse stakeholders to mitigate systemic harms, including human rights violations and environmental degradation. The framework is structured around seven key characteristics: audit scope, auditor roles, stakeholder engagement, context-specific standards, evidence requirements, auditing methodologies, and post-audit activities.

The International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) proposes a global AI auditing framework to address the lack of consistent standards and the tendency of current audits to overlook impacts on the global majority. The framework defines seven key functions: audit scope, auditor roles, stakeholder engagement, context-appropriate criteria, evidence requirements, methodology, and post-audit activities. It emphasizes the need for auditor independence, transparent results, and the inclusion of environmental and labor impacts to protect human rights and collective well-being.

The author contends that progressive and Green politics in Europe are currently overshadowed by right-wing narratives of fear and security. To counter this, the text suggests adopting 'hope-based' communication rooted in intrinsic values—such as empathy, care, and connection to nature—rather than rational utilitarian arguments. Drawing on brain science and political examples like the US Green New Deal, the document advocates for 'Solarpunk' visions of the future and community-building actions to create a new 'Green wave' of political agency.

The report evaluates nine voluntary carbon neutrality standards and initiatives (VCNSIs) using the CARE (Coverage, Assurance, Responsiveness, and Engagement) methodology. While performing relatively well in Coverage and Assurance, the analysis reveals significant gaps in Responsiveness and Engagement. Key issues include the inconsistent inclusion of Scope 3 emissions, a lack of stringent mitigation targets aligned with 1.5°C pathways, and limited board diversity. The report recommends shifting from static 'neutrality' labels to dynamic progress-monitoring systems and suggests the creation of an oversight body to harmonize standards and prevent greenwashing.

The 2024 IPIE expert survey of 412 researchers across 66 countries indicates a growing pessimism about the global information environment, with 63% expecting it to worsen. Experts identify social media platform owners and governments as the primary threats. While generative AI is viewed as a tool for improving journalism and content detection, there is significant concern regarding its role in amplifying harassment, bias, and misinformation. The report emphasizes the necessity of supporting independent media and improving data access for interdisciplinary research.

The report examines the planetary boundaries concept, which identifies nine bio-physical systems essential to human stability. It notes that as of 2023, six of these nine boundaries have been exceeded globally. The document explores the difficulty of 'downscaling' these global limits to national levels, discussing various allocation principles such as equality, needs, and sovereignty. It specifically evaluates the potential for Estonia to calculate its 'own share' of these boundaries to inform national environmental policy, while highlighting significant data gaps and the lack of a harmonized EU-wide methodology.

The report evaluates the technical feasibility of drilling superhot rock (SHR) geothermal wells—defined as depths >5 km and temperatures >374°C. It concludes that while the necessary technologies exist or are emerging, significant gaps remain in rate of penetration (ROP) for hard rock, high-temperature electronic tool durability, and temperature management. The analysis categorizes rock-destroying equipment into conventional rotary, hybrid, and direct energy methods, assigning Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) to each. It emphasizes that the primary barrier to progress is a lack of access to SHR conditions in both laboratory and field settings, which prevents the iterative testing needed to reduce costs and risks.

The Russian coal sector is facing a period of decline driven by Western sanctions, rising transport costs, and a shifting global market. While the sector initially buffered the impact of sanctions through peak prices in 2022–2023, 2024 has seen a significant drop in export profitability, with 50% of producers reporting losses in Q1. The report outlines three futures: a 'Developing Coal Sector' following a peace agreement, a 'Shift to the East' as a continuation of the current status quo, and a 'Declining Coal Sector' resulting from expanded conflict and further isolation. Regional impacts vary significantly, with Yakutia emerging as a growth center due to its proximity to Asia, while traditional Siberian hubs like Kuzbass and Khakassia face economic instability and social risk.

The 2024 state of global environmental governance is characterized by a 'polycrisis' of geopolitical tension, climate disasters, and economic instability. While some progress was made in Indigenous Peoples' participation and the establishment of the Cali Fund for biodiversity, major negotiations on plastic pollution and chemicals failed to reach landmarks. Climate finance remains a central point of contention, with the new collective quantified goal (NCQG) of USD 300 billion per year by 2035 falling short of developing countries' expectations. The report highlights a growing trend of environmental litigation at global courts and the persistent challenge of 'siloed' governance, where the three Rio Conventions operate independently despite the interconnected nature of climate, biodiversity, and land degradation.

The International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) recommends amending the European Commission's draft qualitative template for DSA transparency reports to better capture risk mitigation data. The IPIE argues that content moderation is fundamentally a risk mitigation measure and that transparency reports should explicitly include information on content labelling, corrective information, and the specific parameters of automated moderation tools. This would bridge the gap between general transparency obligations (Articles 15 and 42) and the systemic risk assessment requirements (Articles 34 and 35) for very large online platforms and search engines, facilitating faster access to data for scientific researchers.