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The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Executive Directorate's summary report for the 2020-2021 intersessional period details progress in scientific research, capacity building, and science-policy interfaces despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Key achievements include the launch of the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) fellowship program, the establishment of new strategic partnerships with entities like the Wellcome Trust and Mitacs Canada, and the implementation of transdisciplinary projects on climate-driven infectious diseases in the Caribbean.

Friends of the Earth International calls for a temporary waiver of intellectual property rights (TRIPS waiver) on Covid-19 vaccines and medical supplies to end "Vaccine Apartheid" and ensure global immunisation. The statement argues that corporate monopolies and the hoarding of vaccines by wealthy nations have created a moral crisis, leaving the global South with alarmingly low vaccination rates while high-income countries prioritise profits and their own citizens.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International calling for a temporary waiver of intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines and medical supplies to ensure global equity and a "just recovery."

Friends of the Earth International calls for a 'People's Vaccine' and a temporary waiver of intellectual property rights (TRIPS) at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to ensure equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines, arguing that corporate monopolies and profit-driven distribution are creating a 'vaccine apartheid' that disproportionately affects the Global South.

The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) reports that global warming estimates for 2100 have reached a record low of 2.4°C, driven by announcements from President Biden’s Leaders Summit on Climate and other pledges since September 2020. Despite this 0.2°C improvement, current projections remain above the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C limit, and a significant gap persists between targets and the policies required to achieve them.

This report examines methods for setting national mitigation targets under the Paris Agreement to align with long-term temperature limits, specifically comparing cost-effectiveness and equity-based approaches. It discusses the role of international support in bridging the gap between these approaches, the spill-over effects of domestic climate policies, and the potential for the European Union to accelerate global climate efforts through its own neutrality goals and leadership.

This May 2021 briefing from the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) analyzes the impact of recent Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) updates and net-zero pledges on global warming projections. It finds that while recent commitments have lowered the estimated end-of-century warming to 2.4°C, this remains significantly above the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal, and current policies are still on track for 2.9°C of warming.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines four critical objectives for the Leaders Summit on Climate (April 22-23, 2021), hosted by the United States. The document argues that the summit is a vital milestone for major economies to align their 2030 emissions targets with net-zero trajectories, increase climate finance for developing nations, end public funding for coal, and ensure COVID-19 economic recovery plans prioritize green infrastructure over fossil fuels to keep the 1.5 degree Celsius warming limit within reach.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the potential for increasing cattle productivity in the Legal Amazon. It finds that current livestock production is homogeneously low-productivity and extensive, meaning that simply disseminating existing local best practices would only yield modest gains. The authors argue that significant productivity increases require a new business model involving technologies not yet used at scale and a crackdown on land grabbing and illegal deforestation.

The report 'Boom and Bust 2021' analyzes the global coal plant pipeline, highlighting a divergence where a surge in coal development in China offset a general global retreat. While many countries in South and Southeast Asia, the US, and the EU are retiring plants or cancelling projects, China's commissioning of new capacity led to the first increase in global coal capacity since 2015.

The 2020 global coal power landscape was characterized by a sharp increase in capacity in China, which offset declines elsewhere and led to the first global increase in coal capacity since 2015. While the US and EU saw record closures, China's provincial governments accelerated coal projects as economic stimulants. Conversely, several Southeast Asian and South Asian nations began canceling planned projects due to financing difficulties and shifting policies.

The report 'YÜKSELIŞ VE ÇÖKÜŞ 2021' analyzes the global state of coal-fired power plants in 2020, highlighting a stark divergence between China's continued expansion and a general global decline. While the rest of the world saw record retirements and project cancellations—particularly in the US, EU, and Southeast Asia—China's surge in new capacity led to a net global increase in coal power. The document details the financial challenges facing coal, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on project timelines, and the gap between current national trajectories and the IPCC 1.5°C pathway.

The report 'BÙNG NỔ VÀ THOÁI TRÀO 2021' analyzes global coal power trends in 2020, highlighting a stark contrast between China's surge in new capacity and a general global decline. While many nations in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the OECD are canceling projects or accelerating closures, China's rapid development has caused total global coal capacity to increase for the first time since 2015.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes forest degradation in the Brazilian Amazon from 2007 to 2016, defining it as the partial loss of forest biomass. The study finds that degradation is a large-scale phenomenon that often precedes or occurs near clear-cut deforestation, with the relationship varying significantly based on land tenure categories. The authors argue that degradation should be a priority for conservation policy as a leading indicator of imminent environmental damage.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the barriers and opportunities for National Development Banks (NDBs) to increase financing for climate-smart urban infrastructure. It identifies a significant gap between the potential of NDBs to act as intermediaries and the current reality, where only a small minority finance local governments. The document provides a 'City Maturity Model' consisting of 12 dimensions across strategic, financial, policy, and operational levels to help city officials improve their creditworthiness and project pipelines to better access NDB funding.

The Green Economy Coalition (GEC) provides guidelines for its membership application process, emphasizing a commitment to collaboration and a transition toward a distributive delivery structure with regional and national hubs. The document outlines an interim review process managed by the UK global hub to screen applicants through due diligence and collaboration trials before final approval.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) proposes a standardized Cooling Investment Tracking Framework to address significant data gaps in global cooling finance. The authors argue that current datasets focus too narrowly on equipment sales and lack the transaction-level granularity needed for governments and investors to align capital with sustainable cooling needs.

This case study by Ember evaluates the transition strategy of ENGIE, a France-based global energy company. The report argues that ENGIE's reliance on converting coal plants to fossil gas and biomass, its lack of a comprehensive coal phase-out schedule, and its 2°C Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) accreditation are not aligned with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C objective.

This briefing paper by the Forest Declaration Assessment examines how the global transition to low-carbon technologies increases the demand for minerals, thereby posing a significant threat to forest ecosystems, particularly Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs) in the Amazon and Congo Basin.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the evolution of global development goals, from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs). It analyzes the lessons learned from the MDGs, the expanded scope of the SDGs, and how the 2030 Agenda can serve as a framework for recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.