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The report contends that the global expansion of LNG infrastructure, supported by major banks, threatens marine biodiversity through thermal pollution, habitat destruction, and increased shipping traffic. It specifically critiques the 'Argentina LNG' project in the Golfo San Matías and the proliferation of import terminals in the Philippines' Verde Island Passage, calling for banks to stop financing LNG developers to meet their climate pledges.

The document examines the expansion of non-conventional hydrocarbon production in the Vaca Muerta region of Argentina, highlighting significant risks to water sources and public health. Using the OBSERVAR spatial data platform, the authors identify thousands of wells in high-risk proximity to communities and water bodies, while noting a critical lack of transparent data on wastewater management. The brief argues that current provincial regulations in Neuquén and Río Negro are insufficient or inconsistently enforced and recommends a watershed-based governance approach, the creation of buffer zones, and mandatory reviews of older conventional wells before new fracking permits are issued.

The document links the increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves, droughts, and floods in Argentina to human-caused climate change, specifically highlighting the role of fossil fuel emissions. It notes that while Argentina has a 2050 net-zero target, the government continues to prioritize oil and gas production, particularly in the Vaca Muerta fields, and provides significantly more investment to 'dirty energy' than to renewables. The briefing also identifies a lack of transparent emissions data for individual firms and notes that lobbying by fossil fuel companies has secured production-friendly policies.

The briefing examines the expansion of LNG infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting significant planned investments in Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. It argues that these projects risk becoming stranded assets and conflict with global climate goals to limit warming to 1.5°C, suggesting that the region should instead prioritize its abundant renewable energy resources.

The report finds that Equinor's investment strategy prioritizes oil and gas expansion and shareholder returns over renewable energy, with 2023 investments in oil and gas being 6.2 times higher than those in renewables. The analysis indicates that Equinor's 2030 production targets will be 61% higher than levels required for NZE alignment, and the company continues to develop 'climate bombs' in the Barents Sea and Vaca Muerta. Furthermore, Equinor is expanding its gas power capacity by 80% by 2030 and lacks a specific target for scope 3 emissions, which constitute 96% of its total emissions.

Reclaim Finance criticizes ENGIE for its 'false' coal exit strategy, which involves selling coal plants to third parties or converting them to biomass and fossil gas. The document highlights specific cases in Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil, Morocco, and Chile, arguing that these actions avoid corporate responsibility for environmental damage and fail to align with a 1.5 °C warming trajectory.

The document examines the intersection of unconventional hydrocarbon extraction and water security in the Vaca Muerta region, highlighting risks from wastewater management and climate-driven water scarcity.

A coalition of 76 organizations urges UNESCO and the World Heritage Committee to hold state parties accountable for their contributions to climate change. The authors argue that the World Heritage Convention requires states to align their national policies, including fossil fuel exports, with the 1.5°C warming limit to protect the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of heritage sites. The statement provides examples of other UN treaty bodies making similar mitigation recommendations to countries such as Australia, Argentina, and Germany.

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 analyzes methane abatement in Argentina's oil and gas sector, identifying a technical abatement potential of 32% of estimated emissions using four key technologies. It highlights that while many measures are low-cost or net-positive when gas is monetized, deployment is hindered by a fragmented regulatory framework and economic instability.

Argentina reduced direct budgetary transfers to oil producers, resulting in estimated savings of USD 780 million in 2017. While oil subsidies were cut to reduce the fiscal deficit and meet International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan conditions, the government maintained and prioritised subsidies for unconventional gas production in the Vaca Muerta field, viewing gas as a transition fuel. These reforms were accompanied by significant increases in electricity and natural gas tariffs for residential and commercial users.

Argentina reduced direct budgetary transfers to oil producers, saving an estimated US$ 780 million in 2017. However, the government maintained and prioritized subsidies for unconventional gas production, specifically targeting the Vaca Muerta reservoir through the 'Plan Gas'. These reforms were driven by fiscal pressures, including a US$ 50 billion IMF standby agreement requiring deficit reduction. While oil subsidies fell, the government continued to owe US$ 1.5 billion to oil companies as of January 2019. Environmental concerns persist as gas is treated as a transition fuel, despite the high greenhouse gas emissions and water contamination associated with fracking in Vaca Muerta.

The report 'Five Years Lost' details 12 major fossil fuel expansion projects globally, estimating they would collectively emit at least 175 gigatons of CO2, consuming up to 75% of the remaining carbon budget for a 66% probability of limiting warming to 1.5°C. It identifies a systemic failure in the finance industry, noting that between January 2016 and August 2020, financial institutions provided $1.6 trillion in loans and underwriting and $1.1 trillion in investments to 133 companies driving these projects. The document highlights the role of public finance, specifically Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) and Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) like the World Bank Group, in de-risking these projects. Case studies cover diverse regions including the Permian Basin (USA), Vaca Muerta (Argentina), and the Barents Sea (Norway), emphasizing the associated human rights abuses, environmental degradation, and the 'myth' of natural gas as a bridge fuel.