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The report evaluates seven German retailers (ALDI Nord, ALDI Süd, EDEKA, KAUFLAND, LIDL, REWE, and METRO AG) on their use of wild fish in aquaculture feed. It finds that none of the companies met even half of the sustainability criteria, with METRO AG performing the worst. The document argues for the 'decoupling' of aquaculture from wild fisheries to protect marine ecosystems and food security, suggesting alternatives like algae oil, insects, and the farming of non-predatory species such as carp and mussels.

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 concludes that the goal of restoring 150 million hectares of forest by 2020 is not on track, with global forest cover gain meeting only one fifth of the target. While political will is evident through 63 Bonn Challenge pledges totaling 172.82 million hectares, biophysical progress is hindered by data gaps and the fact that tree cover gains are often offset by ongoing deforestation. A case study of Central America highlights this dynamic, showing a net loss of 320 million hectares of tree cover between 2011 and 2018 despite significant gross gains. The report notes a growing trend of private-sector restoration pledges from companies like Amazon and Nestle, though financial transparency and systematic planning remain significant hurdles for scaling forest landscape restoration (FLR).

The report examines the 'adaptation gap,' noting that annual costs for adaptation in developing countries could reach USD 500 billion by 2050, while current flows remain insufficient and skewed toward mitigation. It analyzes how MDBs are transitioning from stand-alone climate projects to a 'Paris alignment' paradigm where all development finance is climate-resilient. Key barriers identified include a lack of technical expertise in developing countries, the high upfront costs of climate-proofing (10-20% of finance), and the difficulty of attracting private sector investment due to a lack of immediate revenue streams. The document recommends increased technical assistance for National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and the use of innovative blended finance instruments to catalyze private capital.

Reclaim Finance argues that the Trucost list used by the Fédération bancaire française (FBF) fails to capture the full coal value chain and omits major global coal actors, including large Chinese and Russian firms. The analysis highlights significant discrepancies in revenue estimations for companies like Glencore and Adani Enterprises compared to the Global Coal Exit List (GCEL), suggesting that Trucost's methodology may lead financial institutions to underestimate their exposure to coal and carbon-intensive activities.

Reclaim Finance compares the Trucost list used by the French Banking Federation with the Global Coal Exit List (GCEL), arguing that Trucost significantly underrepresents coal exposure. The analysis finds that Trucost misses critical coal infrastructure projects, major global coal companies, and hundreds of firms planning new coal capacity. Furthermore, the report highlights discrepancies in revenue estimations for companies like Glencore, Adani Enterprises, and Sasol, suggesting that Trucost's methodology may allow financial institutions to continue supporting high-emission entities despite their exclusion policies.

The policy brief examines the health diplomacy of the US and China during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically focusing on Africa and Latin America. It argues that while both powers used health aid to gain diplomatic ground, China committed more new resources and employed a multi-actor approach, whereas the US relied heavily on pre-existing frameworks like PEPFAR. The document also analyzes systemic impacts, such as the disruption of global supply chains and the rise of nationalism over multilateralism, and highlights the critical need for health equity and global cooperation to manage future public health crises.

The Stockholm Environment Institute's Water Beyond Boundaries (WBB) initiative aims to evolve water planning beyond the traditional Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) framework, which the authors argue has not yet yielded sustainable outcomes. WBB focuses on three pillars: analyzing water connections beyond the immediate watershed, integrating ecosystem needs throughout the planning process, and employing multi-scale participatory approaches to address inequalities related to gender, poverty, and marginalized groups. The initiative is being piloted in the Magdalena River Basin in Colombia and the Mekong region in South East Asia, while drawing on previous work in California, USA.

The update reports that Halcyon Agri has ceased deforestation in Cameroon and implemented a global No Deforestation policy. Key progress includes the establishment of the Cameroon Sustainability Council, the creation of grievance mechanisms for legacy and new issues, and the development of water treatment systems targeting zero effluent at the Sudcam factory. However, a July 2020 latex spill near Kribi highlighted remaining gaps in company responsiveness and transparency. Halcyon has also improved its global ESG transparency, ranking second in the ZSL SPOTT rubber commodity ranking with a score of 69.6%.

The document reports that Halcyon Agri has ceased deforestation in Cameroon and implemented a global zero-deforestation policy. Key progress includes the establishment of a multi-level Cameroonian Council for Sustainable Development and the creation of a grievance mechanism to address community land claims. However, challenges remain, such as a recent latex spill near Kribi and the need for further progress on indigenous rights and employment equity. The company is also transitioning to closed-circuit water treatment systems and improving supply chain transparency through the ZSL SPOTT tool.

The World Bank has significantly increased its use of development policy finance (DPF) to provide fast budget support to countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. While many of these loans contain prior actions with positive environmental co-benefits, few have climate change as their overarching objective. The author argues that the Bank must update its outdated 2004/2008 guidance for assessing environmental impacts, improve the reporting of negative effects, and actively promote climate-focused policy reforms to ensure long-term sustainable recovery.

The document analyzes the scale of illegal wildlife trade, which is estimated to be worth between USD 7 and USD 23 billion annually. It evaluates CITES as the primary legal framework for regulating international trade in endangered species, noting that while it has evolved through partnerships with organizations like UNODC and INTERPOL, it lacks a mandate to criminalize trade or oversee domestic activities. The brief discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the potential link between wildlife trade and zoonoses, and explores proposals for a new treaty focused on 'Wildlife Crime' or 'One Health' to fill existing regulatory gaps.

The document examines the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and urban inequality, proposing six priority solutions to build climate-resilient and equitable cities. It highlights how the pandemic exposed systemic vulnerabilities, particularly for the urban poor in informal settlements, and argues that adaptation investments offer high benefit-cost ratios (2:1 to 10:1) and local job creation. Proposed solutions include upgrading poor settlements, building water resilience, advancing nature-based solutions, creating knowledge networks, enhancing devolved funding, and fostering peer-to-peer city collaboration.

The report identifies over 60 mitigation policies adopted between July 2019 and August 2020, noting the highest activity in the energy and transport sectors. It highlights a lack of explicitly 'green' COVID-19 recovery measures in most assessed countries, except for the EU and Republic of Korea. Additionally, it tracks the progress of NDCs and LTS, noting that only Vietnam has officially revised its NDC target among the group, while the EU and Japan have submitted net-zero long-term strategies.

SEforALL has transitioned to a strategic model that combines global agenda-setting with data-driven in-country implementation. Key achievements include the launch of the Universal Energy Facility for mini-grids in Sierra Leone and Madagascar, support for Nigeria's 5 million solar connections programme, and the development of 'Recover Better' guides for the Caribbean and Southeast Asia to integrate sustainable energy into COVID-19 recovery. The organization is also leading preparations for the 2021 UN High-Level Dialogue on Energy and co-chairing the Energy Transition Council for COP26.

The report examines the IFC's Green Equity Approach (GEA), which aims to phase out coal investments in financial institutions by 2030. While analysis of 81 high and medium-risk investments between July 2019 and June 2020 shows that 83% explicitly exclude coal, the report identifies significant loopholes. Specifically, it notes that the GEA excludes captive coal plants for industrial use and that debt ring-fencing may be ineffective. A case study of PT Bank KEB Hana Indonesia, the first GEA pilot client, reveals that despite the framework, the bank provided project finance for the Java 9 and 10 coal plants in Indonesia in July 2020.

The document examines the vulnerability of coffee farming in Coto Brus, Costa Rica, where climate change threatens arabica coffee production. It highlights the role of farmer cooperatives, peer-to-peer learning, and cross-sectoral alliances in scaling adaptation. The brief provides six recommendations, including diversifying incomes through alternative crops like vanilla and cacao, and establishing monitoring baselines for adaptation measures. It also notes similar regional efforts in Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico.

The report analyzes the ivory consumption habits of Chinese travelers visiting Cambodia, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam following China's 2017 commercial ivory ban. It identifies a typical buyer profile as high-income, university-educated females aged 25-34 who travel frequently. Key findings show that while 70% of travelers perceive buying ivory in these destinations as legal, only 6.8% are estimated to actually purchase ivory products. The report highlights the role of local tour guides and online forums in facilitating purchases and identifies Thailand, Japan, and Hong Kong SAR as destinations with the highest ivory purchase incidence rates.

The report finds that an estimated 6.8% of Chinese outbound travelers purchase ivory while abroad, with Thailand, Japan, and Hong Kong SAR being the most popular destinations. Mail is the most common method for transporting these products back to Mainland China. While most travelers recognize the illegality of cross-border transport, many are misled by local guides and sellers who suggest that small items are safe to carry. The study highlights a specific 'planner' segment—typically high-income, highly educated females—who intentionally seek out ivory markets.

International NGOs are urging France to use its influence to stop Japan from financing new coal power plants, citing three specific projects in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Bangladesh that contradict the 1.5°C climate goal.