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This report by Global Energy Monitor and partners analyzes global coal power plant trends as of 2022. It highlights a stark divergence: while many OECD and non-OECD countries are accelerating coal phase-outs and canceling new projects following COP26, China continues to expand its coal capacity, offsetting global reductions. The report also critiques 'clean coal' technologies like Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as expensive and ineffective barriers to a true energy transition.

The April 2022 report by Global Energy Monitor and partners analyzes the global state of coal-fired power plants, highlighting a stark contrast between the rapid decline of new coal proposals in most countries and the continued expansion of coal capacity in China.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs argues that trade policy should facilitate a 'just and inclusive global green economy' by balancing regulatory requirements ('sticks') with supportive measures ('carrots'). It suggests that WTO members should align trade-related environmental measures with established principles of international environmental law and adopt a data-driven diagnostic approach to identify specific barriers to green transitions across different countries and sectors.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) condemns Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a violation of international law and human rights. CIEL argues that the crisis highlights how fossil fuels (oil and natural gas) undermine global peace by funding military action and serving as economic weapons. The organization calls for stronger international sanctions, noting that current efforts by the US and EU are inadequate.

A letter from the Life after Coal Campaign (LAC) and the Fair Finance Coalition South Africa (FFCSA) to the South African government requesting transparency and civil society involvement in the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and the work of the Presidential Climate Finance Task Team.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute explores the concept of water teleconnections—long-distance interactions between coupled natural and human systems—and argues that relying on a single water management narrative can lead to a misunderstanding of local challenges and the invisibility of water transfers through economic and physical connections.

This policy brief evaluates progress toward the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) goal of eliminating deforestation from agricultural commodities. It reports that while commodity-driven deforestation rates have declined since a 2016 peak, the 2020 target for ending agriculture-driven deforestation was not met, and current rates remain similar to those seen before 2014.

This February 2022 report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the composition and challenges of the newly elected African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC), the outcomes of the February 2022 AU Summit regarding governance and conflict prevention, and the ongoing debate over equitable regional representation within the Council. It also examines the tensions between the African Union and the European Union regarding the green energy transition and critiques the application of the principle of subsidiarity in the relationship between the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs).

This fact sheet evaluates progress toward Goal 10 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), which focuses on strengthening forest governance, transparency, and the rule of law while empowering Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). The document reports that while some legal frameworks and demand-side regulations have improved, overall progress is too slow to measurably reduce deforestation, with illegal deforestation increasing from 49% to 69% over a seven-year period.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the necessity and design of federal just transition legislation in Canada. It evaluates international best practices from 12 jurisdictions to provide a framework for protecting workers and communities during the shift to a low-carbon economy, emphasizing social dialogue, Indigenous partnership, and corporate accountability.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) provides an initial analysis of South Africa's Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP), released on 4 November 2022. The IEJ argues that the plan relies too heavily on private finance and loans, which risks increasing national debt, exacerbating energy poverty through 'cost reflective' tariffs, and failing to provide adequate social security for workers in the coal sector.

The 'State of Global Environmental Governance 2022' report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) reviews the progress of multilateral environmental negotiations in 2022. It highlights a significant rebound in face-to-face diplomacy following the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in landmark agreements on biodiversity and the establishment of a loss and damage fund for climate-vulnerable nations. The report also examines the integration of human rights into environmental policy and the impact of geopolitical conflicts, specifically the war in Ukraine, on global environmental governance.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines how investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms are used by the fossil fuel industry to protect investments and obstruct climate actions, specifically the phasing out of fossil fuels.

This briefing summarizes a panel discussion on the climate and environmental justice impacts of plastic production, highlighting the role of the petrochemical industry in greenhouse gas emissions and the necessity of policy shifts toward reuse and extended producer responsibility.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the environmental and climate impacts of the global livestock sector, arguing that a shift toward plant-based diets and alternative proteins is essential to meeting climate targets. It details the growth of meat production, the role of government subsidies in supporting industrial agriculture, and the emerging market for alternative proteins, while highlighting the need for systemic policy changes and a reduction in meat consumption, particularly in high-income regions.

This statement from the Africa Policy Research Institute and other signatories condemns the travel restrictions imposed on Southern African countries following the detection of the Omicron variant. The authors argue that these bans are scientifically unjustified, racially biased, and economically damaging, while highlighting a systemic failure in global vaccine equity.

A statement by several African policy leaders criticizing the imposition of unilateral travel bans on Southern Africa following the detection of a COVID-19 variant, arguing that such measures are ineffective, economically damaging, and ignore the systemic inequities in global vaccine distribution.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the intersection of COVID-19 recovery and climate finance, arguing that the pandemic recovery period offers a critical window to 'build back better' through sustainable investment. It highlights the failure of developed nations to meet the $100 billion annual climate finance pledge and emphasizes the specific needs of African countries for increased adaptation funding and systemic reform of the global finance architecture.

This research paper explores the intersection of trade policy and the transition to a low-carbon circular economy, arguing that circular solutions are indispensable for achieving global decarbonization goals. The authors advocate for government incentives to prioritize secondary materials over primary resources, the scaling of business models focused on product longevity and reuse, and the use of bilateral and regional trade agreements to eliminate barriers to circular goods and services.

An analysis by Carolyn Deere Birkbeck of the Forum on Trade, Environment and the SDGs regarding opportunities for the World Trade Organization (WTO) to address environmental crises and sustainable development during its 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12).