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This policy brief by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that the increasing import of fracked natural gas liquids (NGLs)—specifically ethane and propane—from the United States to Europe is undermining the European Union's climate and plastics reduction goals. The document details the supply chain from US fracking basins to European petrochemical plants and contends that current EU regulations, such as the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), contain loopholes that allow the plastics industry to offshore emissions and avoid carbon pricing.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) identifies perceived knowledge gaps and barriers hindering the adoption of 'gridless' (decentralized) water, sanitation, and energy services. Based on workshops with 48 global stakeholders, the report argues that project failures often stem from socio-technical and systemic issues—such as regulatory mismatches, lack of user-centric design, and unsustainable business models—rather than technical performance.

The UN High-level Dialogue on Energy (HLDE), held on 24 September 2021, convened over 130 global leaders to accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) and the transition to net-zero emissions by 2050. The event resulted in the first-ever global roadmap for SDG7 and the announcement of over 160 Energy Compacts, which committed more than USD 400 billion in new finance and investment to combat energy poverty and decarbonize energy systems.

This technical report describes the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology and its application to various infrastructure types to calculate the costs of environmental, social, governance, and climate risks, as well as externalities. It specifically explores how SAVi can be integrated into Indonesia's Vision 2045 (IV2045) system dynamics model to better inform low-carbon development and investment strategies by bridging top-down national planning with bottom-up asset-specific analysis.

The report 'The Road to Sustainable Transport' examines the environmental and social impacts of global transportation, the evolution of international policy from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to the Sustainable Development Goals, and case studies of sustainable urban mobility. It highlights the role of public transit, non-motorized transport, and electrification in reducing carbon emissions and improving public health, while noting the potential for post-COVID-19 recovery packages to accelerate these transitions.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines agroecology as a science-based alternative to the industrial food system, which it describes as unsustainable and a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. The document details the environmental, social, and economic benefits of agroecological practices, while identifying systemic barriers—such as skewed government subsidies and limited research funding—that hinder its global scaling.

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 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.

The report analyzes the EU power sector in 2020, highlighting a landmark moment where renewables generated 38% of electricity, overtaking fossil-fired generation for the first time. While coal generation saw a significant decline, the report notes that the transition speed remains insufficient to meet 2030 and 2050 climate targets, partly due to the persistence of gas generation and a record drop in nuclear output.

This report by Agora Energiewende and Ember analyzes the European power sector in 2020, highlighting a milestone where renewables overtook fossil fuels as the primary source of electricity for the first time in the EU.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines strategies for sustainable resource mobilisation to strengthen global healthcare systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues for a shift from disease-specific 'vertical' funding to a 'whole systems approach' that addresses the triple burden of non-communicable diseases, existing infections, and pandemic response gaps. The document emphasizes the importance of domestic resource mobilisation (DRM), the need for equitable vaccine distribution through the ACT-Accelerator and COVAX, and the potential for LMICs to leverage lessons from the AIDS epidemic to challenge intellectual property barriers via TRIPS waivers.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines four critical technical and political areas that UN negotiators must resolve by COP26 in November 2021. It reviews the outcomes of the 2020 Climate Dialogues and highlights significant gaps in the Paris Agreement rulebook, climate finance commitments, and mechanisms for loss and damage and adaptation.

The Climate Policy Initiative calls on development banks and financial institutions to utilize COVID-19 recovery finance to shift global economic trajectories toward sustainability and social justice, rather than returning to business-as-usual models that lock in unsustainable activities.

This report by Ember analyzes the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) of EU countries to assess the trajectory of the EU power sector toward 2030. It finds that while renewable energy is expected to grow, the EU is not on track to meet the European Commission's recommended 55% emissions reduction target due to slow fossil fuel phase-outs and insufficient wind and solar deployment, particularly in seven specific member states.

This white paper by the Climate Bonds Initiative proposes a comprehensive framework and five core principles to define and finance 'credible transitions' for high-emitting entities and activities. The goal is to provide a scientifically robust standard that prevents greenwashing and aligns transition finance with the Paris Agreement's goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the instruments and public policies used for agricultural risk management in Brazil. It examines the strengths and failures of current systems, including insurance programs and price guarantees, and provides recommendations to improve efficiency and sustainability in the face of climate change.

The report evaluates agricultural risk management in Brazil, finding that while the insurance market has grown, it remains highly concentrated and underfunded compared to rural credit. It highlights that nearly 60% of municipalities lack insurance and suggests redirecting public funds from credit to insurance and expanding the use of Agricultural Climate Risk Zoning (ZARC) to improve productivity and land use.

In the first half of 2020, renewable electricity generation exceeded fossil fuel generation for the first time in the EU-27, driven by new installations, favorable weather, and a COVID-19-related drop in electricity demand.

A fact sheet detailing a USD 48 million green bond issuance by Arclight Solar on June 5, 2020, intended to refinance eight operational solar PV projects in Spain.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute describes the development and utility of Aid Atlas, an interactive platform designed to simplify the analysis of global development finance data from the OECD's Creditor Reporting System (CRS). Using the tool, the authors identify several trends and data gaps in development aid between 2013 and 2017, including the low proportion of funding for general environment protection, the impact of the European refugee crisis on donor budgets, and significant disbursement challenges specifically associated with climate finance.