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The report examines the security implications of climate change in the South and East China Seas, focusing on the interplay between regional political cohesion and food prices. It presents four scenarios—ranging from high cooperation and low prices to high fragmentation and food insecurity—to illustrate potential risks, including social unrest, the failure of governance, and increased Chinese maritime aggression. The analysis emphasizes that climate change acts as a threat multiplier, exacerbating existing geopolitical tensions and socio-economic inequalities in Southeast and East Asia.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has forced European states to prioritize energy security over climate goals, leading to a 'dash for LNG' that outbids developing nations and encourages a global return to coal. This shift undermines EU climate leadership and risks 'locking in' long-term fossil fuel infrastructure in Africa and Asia.

The report details a workshop focused on the design and implementation of seafood traceability programs. It compares the EU's catch certificate scheme and the U.S. Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP), highlighting the shift from paper-based systems to digital interoperability. Key discussions centered on the challenges faced by small-scale fishers, the need for standardized Key Data Elements (KDEs), and the potential of technologies like blockchain and the Global Business Identifier (GBI) to enhance supply chain transparency and combat IUU fishing.

The policy brief examines the long-standing tension between the World Trade Organization's (WTO) focus on trade liberalization and the need for environmental protection. It highlights the failure of the Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) to produce recommendations and the persistence of harmful subsidies in agriculture, fisheries, and fossil fuels. The author argues that the WTO must integrate science-policy interfaces and prioritize sustainable development to support the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, noting recent member-led initiatives on plastics and climate as potential paths forward.

The Republic of Nauru is seeking USD 1,304,546.00 from the Green Climate Fund to implement Phase One of its National Adaptation Planning. This 18-month project focuses on strengthening governance, updating climate projections, and developing a robust evidence base to inform the updated Republic of Nauru Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Framework (RONAdapt). Key activities include establishing a Climate Change Adaptation Technical Working Group, conducting private sector risk assessments, and creating a centralised climate information database. The project addresses critical vulnerabilities including sea-level rise, extreme heat, and the legacy of phosphate mining, which acts as a 'threat multiplier' for climate risks.

The report presents survey data from 108,946 Facebook users worldwide, revealing high global levels of worry and belief that climate change is happening, though perceptions of its causes and the responsibility for action vary significantly by region. While there is widespread support for renewable energy and the belief that climate action will not harm economic growth, willingness to engage in organized climate activism remains low in most regions, with a notable exception in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The We Mean Business Coalition asserts that the global energy system is vulnerable due to fossil fuel subsidies and unpredictable weather, as evidenced by Storm Arwen and European supply issues. It advocates for the immediate end of public coal financing, the removal of fossil fuel subsidies by 2025, and increased public investment in green infrastructure. The text highlights the role of corporate initiatives like RE100 and the First Movers Coalition in driving demand for renewables, while noting that countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea remain difficult geographies for sourcing renewable energy.

The report details a multi-decade pattern of environmental degradation, safety failures, and human rights abuses by the Formosa Plastics Group (FPG) across Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, and the United States. It highlights specific disasters, such as the 2016 marine life catastrophe in Vietnam and toxic dumping in Cambodia, alongside chronic pollution and safety lapses at US facilities in Texas, Louisiana, and Delaware. The document specifically critiques FPG's planned 'Sunshine Project' in St. James Parish, Louisiana, as an act of environmental racism. It concludes that the petrochemical industry's inherent risks, combined with FPG's corporate obfuscation and history of noncompliance, necessitate a halt to new plastics plants and a shift away from fossil-fuel-based petrochemicals.

The document assesses the proliferation of gas power plants, pipelines, and LNG terminals across East, South, and Southeast Asia. It contends that these investments, totaling $380 billion, risk becoming stranded assets as renewable energy costs plummet and climate targets necessitate a rapid shift away from fossil fuels. The report highlights the significant carbon budget impact of these projects and the continued role of public finance in supporting gas expansion despite net-zero pledges.

The report identifies a massive planned expansion of gas infrastructure in Asia, totaling US$379 billion, which includes 320 GW of power plants, 63,000 km of pipelines, and 452 mtpa of LNG import capacity. It argues that this expansion would consume approximately one-quarter of the global carbon budget required to limit warming to 1.5°C and warns that these projects are economically risky compared to cheaper renewable alternatives. The document highlights the role of public financing from institutions like the Export-Import Bank of China and the Asian Development Bank in sustaining this growth, while urging a shift toward clean energy portfolios.

The paper examines Canada's pandemic response, highlighting how a strategy of virus mitigation over suppression, combined with the privatization of long-term care and a lack of workplace protections, disproportionately harmed racialized people, women, and Indigenous communities. It further critiques Canada's international conduct, specifically its hoarding of vaccine doses and opposition to waiving intellectual property rights for vaccines in the Global South.

The document examines how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of e-governance tools, specifically social media and smartphones, to maintain public service delivery. It highlights South Africa's use of WhatsApp chatbots and the 'COVID Alert SA' contact tracing app as innovative examples, while noting that the 'digital divide' and concerns over surveillance and fake news remain significant barriers to digital governance across Africa.

The paper examines how the Eastern Cape and Western Cape Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) managed the closure and reopening of schools during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. It identifies institutional coordination, the development of new capacities, and the critical role of teachers as the three primary factors facilitating the return to schools. The study highlights a contrast between the 'pragmatic managerialism' of the Western Cape and the historical challenges of political factionalism in the Eastern Cape, while noting that both provinces struggled with the digital divide and systemic teacher shortages.

The report evaluates electricity data transparency in Asia and Oceania, scoring countries based on criteria such as time granularity, fuel-type breakdowns, and ease of access. It finds significant disparities in data quality, with some countries like Australia and India providing high-granularity data, while others like Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore suffer from poor timeliness or limited disaggregation.

The 2020 assessment of NYDF Goal 9 reveals that while nearly USD 4.7 billion in results-based finance has been committed since 2010, only 40 percent has been disbursed. The report highlights a significant gap in funding for the implementation phase of REDD+ activities and notes that carbon markets have channeled USD 2.5 billion to forests over 20 years. While private sector demand for forest carbon offsets is rising among airlines and petroleum companies, current carbon prices remain too low to meet Paris Agreement objectives. Additionally, the report details various domestic compliance schemes in countries like Australia, Canada, and China that allow for forest carbon credits.

The report details Ghana's response to COVID-19 up to June 23, 2020, highlighting the tension between public health restrictions and economic survival. It describes the strain on health infrastructure, the government's financial interventions, and the socio-economic hardships faced by vulnerable groups and the informal sector. The text also notes the shift in national spending priorities, the local production of medical supplies, and the challenges of maintaining electoral processes during the pandemic.

As of June 23, 2020, Ghana recorded 14,568 Covid-19 cases and 95 deaths, leading to severe pressure on health infrastructure and the economy. The government responded by implementing partial lockdowns in Accra, Kumasi, and Kasoa, and later announced an ambitious plan to build 88 hospitals in districts currently lacking them. Financial measures included a $100m initial commitment, GHS 600m for SMEs, and utility bill relief. The pandemic disrupted the informal sector, affected road development priorities, and complicated the 2020 general election preparations, specifically the compilation of a new voters' register.

The document argues that while large youth cohorts are not inherently a security threat, they increase the risk of armed conflict and terrorism when combined with high unemployment, poor governance, and economic marginalization. In the Sahel, particularly Mali, these demographic pressures, coupled with environmental degradation and resource scarcity, create conditions where disenfranchised youth are more susceptible to recruitment by terrorist groups. The author recommends a holistic approach focusing on demographic policies to lower fertility and political and economic reforms to boost youth employment, rather than relying solely on military solutions.

The 'science oath for the climate' is a pledge signed by nearly 600 scientists and engineers to act against catastrophic climate disruption. Signatories commit to communicating scientific evidence without compromise, resisting political or economic pragmatism when discussing the 1.5°C and 2°C Paris Agreement targets, and reducing their own carbon emissions. The document includes a comprehensive list of signatories from various global academic and professional institutions.

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.