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The report details how Shell and TotalEnergies integrate themselves across the VCM value chain—from project development and trading to influencing governance—to maintain fossil fuel production while claiming progress toward net-zero. It highlights systemic issues with the integrity of the credits they use, specifically in forestry and cookstove projects, and notes that neither company has a decarbonisation plan aligned with the Paris Agreement.

The document serves as a practical manual for identifying carbon projects within a specific country and evaluating their project documents. It explains the differences between Article 6.2 (decentralised), Article 6.4 (centralised), Voluntary Carbon Markets (VCM), and REDD+ programs. The guide directs users to specific digital tools—such as the UNEP Article 6 pipeline platform, the UC Berkeley Voluntary Registry Offsets Database, and the REDD+ Web Platform—to find project data. It also provides a framework for analysing project documents, focusing on geographic scope, actor roles, timelines, methodologies, and benefit-sharing arrangements, while highlighting industry quality criteria like additionality, leakage, and permanence.

The document explains the mechanisms of Article 6.2, specifically the trade of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) between host and buyer countries. It identifies key reporting tools, such as the UNEP Article 6 Pipeline and the UNFCCC's Centralized Accounting and Reporting Platform (CARP), and details how to use Initial Reports, Annual Information Reports, and Authorisation Letters to find project-specific data. The guide also outlines paths for accountability, including the use of Freedom of Information Act requests and collaboration between civil society in both host and buyer countries.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) denounces the surge of anti-migrant rhetoric and violence in South Africa, attributing the social unrest to systemic economic crises rather than migration. The document highlights the role of vigilante groups and political actors in scapegoating migrants to deflect from government failures, including high unemployment and failing public services. It calls for a shift toward regional integration, the regularisation of undocumented migrants, and a pro-employment economic strategy to address the root causes of community despair.

The report analyzes Zimbabwe's development path to 2043, comparing a 'Current Path' (business-as-usual) with various sectoral and combined scenarios. It identifies manufacturing as the most critical driver for GDP growth and poverty reduction. While the Current Path suggests slow progress toward Sustainable Development Goals, the 'Combined scenario'—integrating reforms in governance, infrastructure, health, and trade—could significantly increase GDP per capita, reduce extreme poverty to 3%, and transition the energy system toward renewables, drastically cutting carbon emissions.

The report identifies structural challenges in Zimbabwe, including political instability and climate vulnerabilities, and proposes a synergised policy approach across sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, and governance. It argues that prioritising industrialisation and AfCFTA integration could accelerate GDP growth to 9% by 2030 and peak at 14% in 2037.

The report outlines South Africa's transition from apartheid to democracy, its current economic challenges including deindustrialisation and low savings rates, and the state of its mining sector and infrastructure. It details the country's political fragmentation following the 2024 elections and the formation of a Government of National Unity.

The document introduces Zimbabwe as a landlocked, lower-middle-income country in Southern Africa. It details the nation's administrative structure, its membership in regional bodies like SADC and the AU, and its ethnic makeup, which is predominantly Shona (81%) and Ndebele (12%). The text describes Zimbabwe's diverse topography and rich natural resources, including lithium and platinum, while noting that the country has struggled with governance and economic instability since its independence from Britain in 1980.

The inventory identifies nature-based solutions (NbS) in Zimbabwe, focusing on reforestation and wildlife corridor conservation in biodiversity hotspots like Hwange and Zambezi National Parks. These projects integrate traditional knowledge with modern practices across sectors such as water management and sustainable agriculture to combat droughts, unpredictable rainfall, and rising temperatures.

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 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 Nature-Based Solutions Inventory for Zimbabwe documents 10 NbS for adaptation projects across five regions, focusing on ecological restoration, livelihood resilience, and inclusive governance. Key interventions include reforestation, wetland rehabilitation, and climate-smart agriculture to combat risks such as prolonged droughts, flooding, and habitat loss. The inventory highlights a strong concentration of projects in the Southern region and emphasizes the integration of traditional knowledge and gender-responsive approaches to ensure equitable benefits for vulnerable populations.

The document describes Mozambique as a low-income country with significant mineral and marine resources but persistent structural challenges. While the country saw rapid growth between 1993 and 2015 and improvements in health and electricity access, it has struggled with a narrow productive base and high poverty levels. Recent growth has slowed due to the 'hidden debt' scandal, insurgency, and climate shocks. The report highlights the risk that gas megaprojects may not lead to inclusive development without strategic governance and economic diversification.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) possesses vast natural wealth, including the world's largest cobalt production and the second-largest tropical rainforest, yet remains one of Africa's poorest nations. Since independence in 1960, the country has been characterized by political instability, authoritarian rule under Mobutu Sese Seko, and devastating conflicts such as the Great African War. Recent history has seen a transition toward democratic elections, though the administration of President Félix Tshisekedi continues to face challenges regarding economic stability and violence in the eastern region.

The report forecasts that sub-Saharan Africa's population will grow to 1.962 billion by 2043, with a significant shift toward urbanization. While regional GDP is projected to increase substantially, reaching between US$6.2 trillion and US$6.7 trillion, GDP per capita growth is tempered by rapid population increases. The region is expected to face increasing food insecurity as agricultural demand outstrips production. Energy production is projected to shift toward renewables, yet total carbon emissions are forecast to rise by over 146% by 2043, with Nigeria expected to overtake South Africa as the region's largest emitter.

The statement contends that Africa's reliance on fossil fuels leaves its communities vulnerable to external shocks, such as the economic ripple effects of the US-Iran war. It advocates for the implementation of existing frameworks like the African Single Electricity System and the African Union Green Minerals Strategy to achieve energy sovereignty and justice, arguing that transitioning to net-zero is more cost-effective than enduring the costs of global energy instability.

The research highlights the reliance of rural communities in Zimbabwe's Mbire and Muzarabani districts on a mix of energy sources due to the unreliability of the national grid. While solar energy is common for lighting and electronics, firewood remains the most widespread cooking fuel, disproportionately impacting women and girls through labour and health risks. The study notes a preference for gas despite high costs and the adoption of 'tsotso stoves' as an energy-efficient, environmentally friendly alternative to open fires. It argues for inclusive benefit-sharing frameworks and investment in clean energy systems, particularly from extractive industries operating in the region.

In 2025, global coal capacity grew by 3.5% while generation fell by 0.6%, as coal plants increasingly serve as 'system insurance' rather than primary power sources. This trend is most prominent in China and India, where record-high new capacity is being offset by the rapid expansion of wind and solar energy. While the number of countries proposing new coal plants decreased from 38 in 2024 to 32 in 2025, significant expansion continues in China and India, which together account for 95% of global coal capacity under construction. In the US and EU, energy security concerns and government interventions have delayed planned retirements of coal units.

In 2025, global coal capacity increased by 3.5% while production fell by 0.6%, as coal is increasingly used as 'system insurance' rather than a primary energy source. This trend is most prominent in China and India, where renewables are meeting new demand despite record coal plant commissioning. Globally, the number of countries proposing new coal plants dropped to 32. In Indonesia, coal expansion continues through 'captive' plants for nickel and aluminium industries, reaching 20 GW, while national energy plans (RUKN and RUPTL) are criticized for maintaining fossil fuel dependency and lacking a clear phase-out roadmap despite official net-zero commitments.

The report highlights a growing gap in 2025 where global coal capacity increased by 3.5% despite a 0.6% decrease in generation, signaling a shift where coal serves as a backup rather than a primary power source. While China and India continue to expand capacity for energy security, the total number of countries proposing or building new coal plants fell to 32 in 2025. The document specifically contrasts the policies of South Korea, which has committed to a 2040 coal phase-out and joined the Powering Past Coal Alliance, with Japan, which maintains a large coal fleet and focuses on abatement technologies like ammonia co-firing and CCS without a binding national phase-out date.