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The report recommends that Zambia diversify its economy by expanding copper smelting and refining, prioritizing affordable electricity, and improving trade corridors to capture more value from the global copper supply chain.

This report by Ember analyzes global electricity demand and supply trends in 2025 and over the preceding two decades. It details the growth of low-carbon sources, specifically solar and wind, and the relative decline of fossil fuels, while noting the impact of weather and policy on national energy mixes.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics explains the mechanisms of El Niño, its interaction with climate change, and its global socio-economic and environmental impacts. It highlights a 61% chance of an El Niño event emerging between May and July 2026, noting that human-caused warming is likely increasing the frequency and severity of such events, while simultaneously making them harder to predict.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute examines the capacity of various forest types to withstand and recover from wildfires, noting that while some ecosystems are fire-adapted, increasing fire frequency and intensity driven by climate change are undermining this resilience. The document details the drivers of vulnerability, the environmental and economic impacts of recent record-breaking fires, and strategies for strengthening forest resilience through protection, restoration, and the support of Indigenous land rights.

The research paper argues for a binding international agreement on fossil fuel subsidies within the WTO framework to address global negative externalities and climate change. It proposes using the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) as a model, specifically highlighting the Standardized Carbon Rate Measurement (SCRM) as a way to move beyond definitional debates. The authors suggest that successful subsidy reduction must be linked to a state's capacity to transition to green energy and may require WTO waivers on local content requirements to support renewable energy transitions.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the impact of various global carbon tax scenarios on Africa's energy transition and economic future, specifically highlighting the 'Sustainable Africa' scenario.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes a global database of fossil fuel production restrictions, identifying 58 active measures across 25 countries and 27 subnational jurisdictions. It examines the trajectories of these policies, noting that while restrictions have grown exponentially over the last decade, they remain politically fragile and susceptible to rollbacks during periods of high energy prices or government changes.

This report analyzes global carbon emissions from fossil fuels and land use, providing forecasts through 2063. It highlights the dominance of coal, the climate impact of LNG, and the roles of major emitters like China, the US, and India, while detailing the specific environmental pressures facing Africa, including deforestation and water scarcity.

The 60th meeting of the Executive Council of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held on January 8, 2026, focused on the institutional and financial crisis triggered by the United States' withdrawal from the organization. The Council discussed severe budget reductions, the need for institutional restructuring, and efforts to diversify funding through development banks and philanthropic organizations. The meeting concluded with the decision to convene an Extraordinary Conference of the Parties in March 2026 to address these challenges.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) submits a response to the European Union's Arctic policy consultation, urging the EU to maintain its moratorium on Arctic fossil fuel extraction and establish a phase-out timeline for imports from the region.

This IISD briefing analyzes the July 2025 ICJ advisory opinion, which suggests that providing fossil fuel subsidies may constitute an internationally wrongful act. It argues that this legal reasoning could extend to other harmful subsidies, such as those in agriculture, and urges states to implement transparent, gradual phase-outs of such incentives to reduce their international legal risk.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) urges the European Union to maintain its moratorium on Arctic fossil fuel extraction and phase out imports from north of the Arctic Circle. The submission argues that Arctic oil and gas are too expensive (USD 75/barrel) and slow to develop (13+ years) to provide energy security, while posing severe ecological risks and increasing geopolitical vulnerability, particularly in the Barents Sea shared with Russia. IISD notes that this position aligns the EU with Canada and Greenland, who have implemented similar bans or moratoriums.

Ember's submission to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero argues that the proposed common biomass sustainability framework fails to address the high emissions, import reliance, and costs associated with biomass power. Ember recommends limiting large-scale biomass generation, shifting to domestic sourcing, and scaling up low-carbon alternatives like wind, solar, and batteries to align with UK carbon budgets and energy independence goals.

This research paper by Ieva Baršauskaitė and Antoine Bonnet analyzes the transition of trade-related climate measures from abstract policy debates to practical implementation between 2025 and early 2026. It examines the evolving roles of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in managing issues of transparency, interoperability, and development equity, positioning the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) as a critical juncture for consolidating these international efforts.

This research paper examines the evolving landscape of critical minerals diplomacy, arguing that current multilateral trade rules are insufficient to balance the economic security needs of consuming nations with the industrialization goals of resource-rich developing countries. The author analyzes the rise of non-binding sectoral partnerships and plurilateral initiatives led by developed nations, warning that these may reinforce power asymmetries. The paper proposes utilizing the World Trade Organization (WTO) or regional groupings as more neutral platforms to establish a rules-based system that supports sustainable sourcing and domestic value addition in producer economies.

This report by Ember analyzes the evolving potential of geothermal electricity in Europe, highlighting how technological advances in drilling and reservoir engineering are making geothermal a cost-competitive, firm, low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels. It emphasizes that while Europe pioneered many of these technologies, it now risks losing its leadership to the US and Canada due to a lack of coordinated EU-level policy and investment frameworks.

This policy brief by the Institute for Economic Justice argues that implementing wealth taxes in South Africa is a necessary tool to address extreme inequality and fiscal constraints, challenging the notion that such taxes harm economic growth.

This briefing note analyzes the implications of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) July 2025 advisory opinion on States' obligations to prevent environmental harm, specifically focusing on the financing of climate-destructive conduct. It outlines how the ICJ's findings can be used in litigation to challenge public and private funding of the fossil fuel sector and to enforce obligations for climate finance in developing nations.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues against the inclusion of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in the protocol for the United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation (UN FCITC). It highlights the structural failures of ISDS—including high costs, inconsistent rulings, and 'regulatory chill'—and warns that adopting such a mechanism would undermine fiscal sovereignty. The brief also draws lessons from the prolonged and complex reform efforts of UNCITRAL Working Group III to caution negotiators against the institutional lock-in and resource drains associated with international arbitration.

This policy brief, developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development and partners, provides principles and actions for ethically engaging Indigenous Knowledge Holders in nature and climate initiatives. It emphasizes the need to move beyond colonial extraction of knowledge toward reciprocal, rights-based partnerships that respect Indigenous sovereignty, gender equality, and direct access to funding.