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June 2026 was the second-warmest June on record globally, with the Arctic experiencing its warmest June ever. In the U.S., 66% of the contiguous region faced abnormally dry or drought conditions by July 7, 2026, and the West and Southwest regions saw their warmest January-June period on record. A very strong El Niño is forecast to develop between October and December 2026, with an 81% probability, likely pushing global temperatures to or above 1.5C by October. Climate Central's analysis indicates human-caused climate change is a key driver of summertime warming in 91% of analyzed U.S. cities.

The report introduces a qualitative framework for public finance providers—including donor governments, MDBs, and DFIs—to evaluate the quality of adaptation interventions. It categorizes quality across three levels: project (direct resilience), market (incentives and scale), and system (structural shifts). The tool uses a three-stage diagnostic (Initial, Progressing, Transformative) across criteria such as climate risk integration, target population reach, and the minimization of maladaptation. The report also includes data analyses showing a disconnect between national adaptation priorities and sectoral ODA flows, particularly in energy and health, and a misalignment between sovereign debt risk and the choice of finance instruments in moderate-risk countries.

The report warns that climate change is increasing the probability of simultaneous crop failures in major global breadbaskets, which could trigger food price spikes, social unrest, and geopolitical instability. Using France, Germany, and India as examples, it projects significant increases in crop failure risks by 2040 and highlights how extreme heat undermines both agricultural yields and the labor and infrastructure necessary for food security. For Europe, these failures could be exploited by Russia through hybrid warfare and disinformation, while destabilizing import-dependent NATO and EU partners. The authors recommend that NATO and the EU integrate food security into resilience frameworks, protect agricultural aid, coordinate trade responses to avoid export bans, and increase investment in climate-smart agricultural R&D.

The report argues that meeting U.S. electricity demand growth through 2030 with a clean energy portfolio is more affordable and reliable than a fossil-fuel-heavy approach. Modeling shows that a clean energy scenario could save consumers $5.1 billion annually by 2030 and significantly reduce risks associated with volatile fuel prices and extreme weather. The analysis emphasizes the role of solar, wind, battery storage, and demand-side flexibility in reducing system costs and carbon emissions while maintaining grid resilience.

The report outlines a framework for the mining sector to mitigate its impact on forests, emphasizing a 'nature-positive' approach. It details cross-cutting principles for all companies and specific mandates for upstream operators (e.g., protecting restricted areas and ensuring FPIC), midstream processors (e.g., implementing traceability), and downstream manufacturers (e.g., mandating mine-of-origin disclosure and designing for circularity). The goal is to align the mineral value chain with the 2030 Global Forest Vision to protect high-integrity ecosystems and Indigenous rights.

Africa's green transition is projected to generate between 3.8 and 7.9 million jobs by 2030, rising to 65.9–84.5 million by 2050. The report argues that this growth will be service-led and decentralized, with indirect roles—such as installation, distribution, and maintenance—accounting for 56% of employment by 2030. Clean cooking is identified as the largest green value chain by 2030. However, the report highlights significant structural inequalities: 86% of 2030 green jobs are projected to be informal, and women remain concentrated in low-value roles despite high participation in sectors like clean cooking. The analysis of South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya reveals diverse transition architectures, ranging from South Africa's formal, utility-scale model to Nigeria's nano-enterprise-driven decentralized approach. Key recommendations include directing finance toward service-led value chains, reforming TVET systems through modular programs, and extending social protection to informal workers via mobile platforms.

The document outlines a framework for responsible mining of transition minerals, focusing on protecting carbon-rich ecosystems, upholding Indigenous rights through Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), and implementing rigorous climate-integrated impact assessments. It advocates for standardized Scope 1-3 emissions reporting, digital traceability, and a shift toward a circular economy to reduce virgin metal demand. Additionally, it proposes equitable benefit-sharing models, such as co-ownership and sovereign wealth funds, to ensure a just energy transition.

The document analyzes the 2026 review of the IMF and World Bank's Low-Income Country Debt Sustainability Framework (LIC-DSF). While acknowledging improvements in domestic debt treatment and country heterogeneity, it argues that the framework fails to conceptually separate public debt sustainability from external sustainability. The authors recommend a 'two-instrument approach' where the LIC-DSF serves as a public DSA and is complemented by a dedicated external DSA to better inform borrowing, fiscal rules, and debt restructuring decisions.

The document details the global lithium landscape, highlighting the dominance of Australia, Chile, and China in mining and refining. It analyzes the shift in demand toward battery manufacturing, which now accounts for 87% of total lithium use, and examines the technical pathways for extraction, including brine-based, hard-rock, and emerging clay-based methods. The report also addresses geopolitical risks, such as export bans in Zimbabwe, and environmental concerns, specifically water scarcity in producing regions and the GHG emissions intensity of different processing routes.

The report argues that while mining companies are increasingly adopting renewable energy for operational decarbonization, these investments should be leveraged through policy to benefit host communities. It provides a framework for integrating renewable energy into local content policies, emphasizing shared infrastructure, skills development, and long-term planning for post-closure transitions to ensure sustainable local development.

The document outlines a comprehensive approach to developing adaptation indicators, emphasizing that they must be grounded in a Theory of Change (ToC) and national context rather than solely in global frameworks. It details a 10-step process (grouped into design, implementation, and learning phases) to move from clarifying objectives to institutionalizing data collection and conducting regular reviews. The guide highlights the importance of using a mix of quantitative and qualitative indicators, ensuring gender and social inclusion (GESI) through data disaggregation, and piloting systems before full-scale rollout to ensure feasibility and data quality.

The paper argues that the armed organization to which a person belongs is the most powerful predictor of whether they become a perpetrator of conflict-related sexual violence. Using datasets like SVAC and ACLED, it finds that while state forces have historically been more frequent perpetrators, there is a recent trend of increasing reports involving rebel groups. The author identifies key organizational risk factors, such as forced recruitment and child soldiering, which use sexual violence as a socialization tool for group cohesion. Conversely, restraint is linked to strong internal governance, such as electoral leader selection and ideological norms. The paper suggests that policy interventions should target organizational structures and use risk factors as early warning indicators rather than focusing solely on individual perpetrators.

The paper argues that LGBTQI+ individuals are specifically targeted for their nonconformity to cis-heteronormative norms, with visibility acting as a primary risk factor. It highlights that such violence occurs on a continuum across public and private spheres, perpetrated by state actors, armed groups, and family members. The authors advocate for an intersectional framework to avoid homogenizing the LGBTQI+ community and emphasize the agency of survivors in creating their own support systems.

The 17th edition of the Banking on Climate Chaos report finds that the world's largest banks committed $906 billion to fossil fuel companies in 2025, an 8% increase from 2024. Financing for fossil fuel expansion rose by over 27% to $508 billion. The report highlights a high concentration of finance, with a 'Dirty Dozen' of banks providing nearly 39% of global fossil deals. It also notes a trend of policy backsliding, where banks are weakening climate commitments and abandoning net-zero targets, particularly in the US. The report argues that this financing amplifies energy instability and inequality, especially during geopolitical crises like the 2026 US-Israel war on Iran.

The report argues that many planned coal plants in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are candidates for reconsideration due to declining costs of solar and battery storage, evolving grid needs, and the risk of long-term financial lock-in. It introduces a five-indicator framework—fuel source, initiation date, sunk costs, designed grid role, and evolution of grid needs—to prioritize plants for reevaluation. RMI's analysis suggests that solar paired with battery energy storage systems (BESS) is increasingly cost-competitive with new ultra-supercritical coal, potentially offering a more affordable and flexible alternative for modernizing grids.

The document advocates for a human rights-based approach (HRBA) to ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA), emphasizing that biodiversity-led climate strategies are most effective when they address power imbalances and protect the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities. It highlights Section C of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) as a critical guide for ensuring equity and avoiding maladaptation. Case studies from Benin, focusing on the protection of sacred forests through Indigenous knowledge, and Kenya, focusing on rangeland restoration in Mount Marsabit via pastoralist stewardship, demonstrate how inclusive practices enhance resilience. The brief recommends establishing national coordination mechanisms to track EbA across sectors and increasing climate finance for locally led actions, noting that currently less than 0.2% of such finance specifically targets locally led outcomes.

The report highlights a growing 'e-mobility divide' where the Global North adopts high-value lithium-ion systems while the Global South relies on affordable but toxic lead-acid batteries. It identifies critical failures in traceability and international governance, specifically within the Basel Convention, which allow for 'waste colonialism' and hazardous informal recycling. The authors argue for mandatory extended producer responsibility, the creation of regional recycling hubs, and the integration of informal workers into formal systems to ensure a just energy transition.

This roadmap, developed by civil society organizations, provides a strategic framework for Latin America and the Caribbean to transition away from fossil fuels while ensuring climate justice and economic diversification. It categorizes countries by their fossil fuel production profiles—booming, mature, or importers—and sets specific milestones for the supply, demand, and electricity sectors. The document emphasizes the need to move beyond a primary-export economic model, proposing the development of regional value chains, labor reconversion, and a legal shift toward recognizing the nature as a subject of rights. It also calls for a reform of international climate finance to avoid further indebtedness and the implementation of binding participatory governance based on human and environmental rights.

The policy brief proposes ten strategic principles for governments to unlock business investment in clean electrification. These include setting clear targets, reforming financial incentives to remove fossil fuel subsidies, modernizing electricity grids, and streamlining permitting processes. The document emphasizes that coordinated international signals and integrated industrial strategies are necessary to reduce policy uncertainty and overcome barriers such as high upfront costs and skilled labor shortages, aiming for electricity to account for approximately 35% of global final energy use by 2035.

The report presents a business case for transitioning to an electrified economy, asserting that electricity is becoming the foundation for global economic growth. It highlights that electrification is the most efficient route to decarbonization, capable of displacing approximately 60% of global fossil fuel use. The document outlines the benefits of electrification in terms of cost predictability, energy security, and public health, while identifying significant barriers such as distorted market incentives and a global skills gap. It proposes ten policy principles for governments to unlock business investment and introduces the 'Electric Advantage' program to coordinate business leadership in modernizing policy and scaling deployment.