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This report analyzes the evolving jurisprudence of UN human rights treaty bodies (HRTBs) from 2008 to 2019, concluding that States have legal obligations under human rights treaties to implement ambitious climate mitigation (including phasing out fossil fuels), ensure inclusive adaptation, and provide international cooperation. Key developments include a 2019 joint statement by five HRTBs and the Human Rights Committee's recognition that climate change threatens the right to life, potentially triggering non-refoulment obligations in deportation cases.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR) synthesizes the work of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) regarding climate change. It details the CRC's use of General Comments, the State reporting procedure, and the communications procedure to establish that States have legal obligations to protect children's rights—including the rights to life, health, and culture—against the impacts of global climate change.

This briefing note from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) outlines recommendations for UNFCCC Parties at COP-25 to integrate human rights, gender equality, and participatory processes into climate action. It emphasizes the need for rights-based safeguards in Article 6 market mechanisms, the ratification of the Escazú Agreement, and the protection of indigenous peoples and local communities in adaptation and loss and damage frameworks.

This briefing note from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues for the integration of procedural rights—specifically access to information, public participation, and access to justice—into climate governance and the implementation of the Paris Agreement. It highlights the roles of the Aarhus Convention and the Escazú Agreement in promoting environmental democracy and provides specific recommendations for the COP-25 agenda to ensure climate policies are inclusive, rights-based, and gender-responsive.

The New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) Endorser Perspectives Report evaluates progress five years after the 2014 launch of the NYDF. Based on consultations with 84 endorsers, the report finds that while many commitments have been made, global deforestation has accelerated by 44% since 2014, and the world is not on track to meet its collective forest goals. The report identifies critical barriers—including weak governance, insufficient finance, and insecure land tenure—and outlines eight key lessons to transition from high-level commitments to measurable implementation.

This report evaluates the progress of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) five years after its inception. It finds that despite increased awareness and technological monitoring, global deforestation has accelerated, and most 2020 targets will be missed. The document highlights a critical gap in funding, where investments driving deforestation vastly outweigh those for conservation. It emphasizes that indigenous land rights and strong political will are essential prerequisites for success, while corporate progress is stalled by supply chain complexity. The report calls for a paradigm shift toward 'green finance' and nature-based solutions to align forest protection with global climate and sustainable development goals.

This report by the Forest Declaration Assessment (UNDP) evaluates the progress of signatories of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) five years after its 2014 launch. Based on consultations with 84 signatories—including governments, companies, NGOs, and indigenous organizations—the document identifies critical barriers to ending natural forest loss by 2030 and outlines eight key lessons to accelerate implementation. It emphasizes that while high-level commitments are numerous, measurable action is lagging, with tropical primary forest loss increasing by 44% between 2002-13 and the reporting period.

This fact sheet details a EUR 5.98 billion sovereign green bond issued by the State of the Netherlands on May 21, 2019, which is the first European sovereign green bond to receive Climate Bonds Certification and the first sovereign green bond with a AAA rating.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative outlines public sector green bond activity and policy developments during 2018. It details sovereign issuances, the creation of green bond market development toolkits for emerging markets, the European Union's progress toward a sustainable finance taxonomy, and the increasing role of central banks in managing climate-related financial risks.

The H1 2019 green bond market report by the Climate Bonds Initiative highlights HSBC as the leading global and emerging market underwriter and Euronext Amsterdam as the top listing venue. It notes that sovereign green bonds often outperform vanilla equivalents in book cover and spread compression, and identifies Agency green MBS and Solar/PACE ABS as primary drivers of green ABS issuance.

This document is a draft of the Strategic Plan for the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), presented as a notification to member Parties on November 27, 2018. The plan outlines a long-term vision for 2019–2044, aiming to bridge the gap between science and policy to foster a sustainable American continent through interdisciplinary research, capacity building, and open data.

This fact sheet from the Climate Bonds Initiative details a EUR 3 billion (USD 3.459 billion) sovereign green bond issued by Ireland's National Treasury Management Agency on October 17, 2018.

This notification from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) presents a draft outline for a new IAI Strategic Plan. The plan is designed as a 25-year roadmap to coordinate research and policy actions addressing global change in the Americas, organized around three primary themes: meeting the needs of member Parties, advancing a science agenda for regional sustainability, and ensuring the organizational sustainability of the IAI.

The People's Tribunal on Economic Crime reports that sanctions-busting during apartheid, the 1999 Arms Deal, and subsequent state capture are interconnected cycles of corruption. It recommends that the South African National Prosecuting Authority and international bodies investigate and prosecute state and private actors—including the French government and Kredietbank—for aiding crimes against humanity and facilitating corruption.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative outlines key public sector green bond policy developments from the first half of 2018, focusing on sovereign issuance, national guidelines, financial incentives, and the role of central banks in supporting the energy transition.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative explores the critical role of climate adaptation and resilience in infrastructure investments to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It highlights the current investment gap in the green bond market, where adaptation is significantly underfunded compared to mitigation, and proposes principles for improving definitions and disclosure to scale capital mobilization.

The report 'Coal To Clean' by Ember (May 2018) analyzes the UK's transition away from coal power, concluding that the country is on track to phase out coal by 2025 without the need for new large gas-fired power plants. It argues that renewables, interconnectors, and small peaking gas plants can provide the necessary capacity and backup, allowing the UK to avoid a 'gas bridge' and move directly toward clean power generation.

This fact sheet by the Climate Bonds Initiative outlines key public sector green bond policy developments in 2017 and projections for 2018. It highlights the rise of sovereign green bonds, the establishment of regional and national guidelines in Asia and Africa, the growth of the green sukuk market in Malaysia, and various financial incentives provided by governments to lower issuance costs and accelerate the transition to low-carbon infrastructure.

This report summarizes progress toward Goal 10 of the New York Declaration on Forests, which focuses on strengthening forest governance, transparency, and the rule of law, while empowering indigenous peoples and local communities. It details developments in producer and consumer countries regarding illegal timber trade, the rising violence against environmental defenders, and the status of financial resources and data collection for land tenure security.

This report by Ember examines the use of biomass co-firing in several European countries, detailing the subsidies that support the practice and its impact on the transition away from fossil fuels.