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A coalition of NGOs calls on France to oppose Japan's presence at the November 2020 Finance in Common Summit unless Japan ends its support for coal. The NGOs highlight that while France has committed to a coal exit, Japan continues to plan 11.9GW of domestic coal capacity and has supported 8.6GW of new coal plants internationally since the Paris agreements. Specifically, the statement identifies three overseas projects currently under consideration: Vung Ang 2 in Vietnam, Indramayu in Indonesia, and Matarbari Phase 2 in Bangladesh.

The paper examines the impact of environmental policies on ethnic minorities in the Dong Phuc commune of Vietnam, finding that tenure and environmental policies often reinforce pre-existing ethnic inequalities and use conservation discourses to justify the appropriation of natural resources.

The document details how climate variables from the Copernicus Climate Data Store (CDS) are integrated into the SAVi Energy model to quantify the impact of climate change on various power generation technologies. It provides a comprehensive literature review of how variables like temperature, wind speed, and precipitation affect the load factor and thermal efficiency of coal, gas, nuclear, biomass, hydro, solar, and wind power, as well as the efficiency of the electricity grid. The report includes a simulation for Johannesburg, South Africa, demonstrating that rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns can significantly reduce the load factor and revenues for thermal and hydropower assets, while potentially increasing the load factor for wind energy.

The document details how climate indicators from the Copernicus Climate Data Store (CDS) are integrated into the SAVi tool to improve the analysis of infrastructure resilience. It covers a literature review of climate impacts on energy, irrigation, wastewater, buildings, roads, and nature-based infrastructure, providing specific equations to link climate variables to asset performance. The report includes simulation results for Johannesburg, South Africa, demonstrating how climate variables like temperature and precipitation affect load factors, thermal efficiency, and maintenance costs, ultimately impacting the economic viability and societal costs of these assets.

The document argues that Brazil's air conditioning sector suffers from low energy efficiency compared to international standards, partly due to industrial policies in the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM) that create distortions. It finds that the Basic Productive Process (PPB) requirements, such as the use of outdated national compressors, hinder the adoption of inverter technology and overall efficiency. Despite significant tax exemptions, the sector's productive and energy efficiency deteriorated between 2003 and 2015, contrasting with the stability of the broader Brazilian manufacturing industry. The authors recommend aligning industrial and energy policies to promote competitiveness and higher efficiency standards.

The document argues that Brazil's air conditioning (AC) sector lags in energy efficiency compared to international peers and that the current industrial policy in the Manaus Free Trade Zone (ZFM) creates distortions that hinder efficiency gains. Despite significant tax exemptions, the Basic Production Process (PPB) requirements—such as the mandatory use of domestically produced, outdated non-inverter compressors—conflict with energy efficiency goals. The brief recommends aligning industrial policy with energy performance standards and labeling policies to foster a more competitive and efficient sector.

The report finds that the air-conditioning sector in Brazil suffers from low energy efficiency compared to international standards, with a deterioration in both productive and energy efficiency between 2003 and 2015. Despite significant tax exemptions provided by the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM), which accounted for approximately R$ 285 million in 2015 for the AC sector, these incentives have not translated into improved efficiency or higher wages for workers. The authors argue that the Basic Productive Process (PPB) requirements, particularly those mandating the use of outdated national compressors, create distortions that hinder the adoption of modern technologies like inverter compressors and suppress competition. Consequently, rising sales of inefficient AC units, driven by heatwaves and increased income, have led to a 237% increase in residential electricity consumption for ACs between 2005 and 2017.

SEforALL's 2021-2023 business plan introduces 'SEforALL 3.0', an evolution from global agenda-setting to an implementation-focused model. The strategy centers on four thematic areas: Energy Diplomacy and Advocacy, Energy Access and Closing the Gap, Energy Transitions and Climate Change, and Intersection with Other SDGs. Key initiatives include the Universal Energy Facility for results-based financing, the 'Women at the Forefront' program, and the 'Powering Healthcare' agenda. To support these goals, SEforALL requires a three-year budget of USD 58.9 million and plans to establish regional staff presence in Africa and Southeast Asia to better support high-impact countries.

The report examines the intersection of biophysical climate changes and environmental policies in Bac Kan Province, Vietnam, finding that policy-driven resource demarcation and hydropower development often reinforce existing socio-economic inequalities among ethnic groups. While biophysical changes like prolonged hot seasons disproportionately affect the poorest households, the report highlights that women's empowerment through education and migration is shifting traditional patriarchal land-control structures.

WWF International calls for urgent global action to mitigate zoonotic disease risks by closing high-risk wildlife markets and stopping illegal trade. The organization advocates for a holistic approach that combines law enforcement, demand reduction, and the protection of natural ecosystems to prevent future pandemics. The document specifically highlights the need for the United States to provide strategic resources and diplomatic leadership, and presents survey data showing strong public support for closing illegal wildlife markets in several Asian regions.

In 2019, wind and solar generated 8.2% of global electricity, with the EU leading at 18%. The report highlights that wind and solar are now the cheapest new generation sources for two-thirds of the global population and that electricity grids remained stable during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdowns even as renewable shares reached record highs in countries like Denmark (65%), Germany (45%), and Greece (41%). To limit temperature increase to 1.5 degrees, the report notes that coal's market share must drop from 35% to 8% by 2030, requiring wind and solar's share to increase to approximately 29%.

The document analyzes how environmental degradation, the pursuit of civilian nuclear power, and geopolitical tensions—primarily involving China—intersect to create instability in the South China Sea region. It highlights the vulnerability of Indonesia and the Philippines to sea-level rise and extreme weather, their efforts to establish nuclear energy frameworks via IAEA guidance, and the internal threat posed by ISIL-affiliated extremists. The report argues that these converging risks, combined with hegemonic competition between the U.S. and China, threaten regional stability.

Mighty Earth calls on the European Commission to ensure that EU recovery funds for the transport and rubber industries are conditional on commitments to net zero carbon neutrality, zero deforestation, and the protection of human rights and Indigenous land tenure.

The Sustainable Renewables Risk Mitigation Initiative (SRMI) Facility, managed by the World Bank, is classified as an Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) Category A project. The document confirms that the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) were disclosed on June 21, 2020, in English, French, Uzbek, and Vietnamese to accommodate the target countries. These documents include templates consistent with Category A requirements within an "Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework."

The report examines the global cotton market, highlighting a shift toward voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) which grew from 1% of production in 2009 to 14.1% in 2016. It identifies significant sustainability challenges, including high water and pesticide use, price volatility, and labor abuses. The document argues that VSSs like BCI, CmiA, Organic, and Fairtrade are essential for mitigating these risks and improving livelihoods for the 100 million farmers globally. It specifically identifies Mali and Burkina Faso as having high potential for VSS growth among Low Human Development Countries.

The report examines the vulnerability of Vietnam's private sector, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to climate change and natural disasters. It identifies significant gaps in current policy frameworks, which often treat businesses as entities to be managed rather than partners. The document proposes specific mechanisms, such as public-private partnerships (PPPs), tax incentives, and improved disaster insurance, to mobilize private investment for the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) across sectors including agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure.

The document investigates the integration of the private sector into Vietnam's National Adaptation Plan (NAP). It highlights that while the private sector is a critical source of funding and innovation, current policies often view businesses as entities to be managed rather than partners. The report identifies significant gaps in climate risk awareness and financial resilience among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and proposes specific strategies, including public-private partnerships (PPPs), green bonds, and tailored insurance products, to incentivize private investment in climate adaptation across various economic sectors.

The NGO Forum on ADB calls for the Asian Development Bank to align its energy policy with the 1.5°C goal, divest from coal, and provide unconditional debt relief to developing member countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter also demands the 'No Dilution' of the 2009 Safeguards Policy Statement and the introduction of binding labor and social protections.

A group of civil society organizations and trade unions urged the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to implement binding protections for workers receiving Covid-19 response financing. The authors recommend that the IFC increase transparency by publishing a responsive financing strategy and a dedicated client website, integrate job preservation and occupational health and safety goals into loan documents, and establish an emergency grant facility for affected workers and communities. They specifically call for the prevention of discriminatory retrenchment and the provision of paid sick leave and childcare. Additionally, the document requests detailed data on the social protection policies of current IFC clients and the criteria used for distributing $8 billion in pandemic-related financing.

The report outlines a four-step process—sector prioritization, landscape assessment, barrier identification, and intervention execution—to unlock private climate finance. Drawing from the International Climate Initiative Mobilizing Investment (IKI MI) program, it identifies common barriers such as unfavorable taxes, high capital costs, and a lack of proof points. It recommends that governments level the playing field by making low-carbon solutions commercially competitive against fossil-fuel alternatives and providing pilot projects to demonstrate business viability.