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This policy brief summarizes a UNEP foresight workshop held in Bangkok in December 2023, where 42 academics and practitioners from 15 countries in Asia and the Pacific discussed plausible future scenarios for the region leading up to 2050. The discussions focused on the interplay between human activities and the environment, specifically examining the roles of technology, cultural values, and power relations in shaping planetary health and human well-being.

This research paper by the Africa Policy Research Institute analyzes the outcomes of COP 28 in Dubai, assessing how the agreements and financial commitments align with the priorities of African nations and civil society organizations. It evaluates progress on the Loss and Damage fund, adaptation finance, the transition away from fossil fuels, and food system resilience, concluding that while historic agreements were reached, the scale of financial commitments remains insufficient to meet Africa's urgent climate needs.

This webinar summary, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute, details a regional dialogue on the intersection of global ageing and climate change in the Asia-Pacific region. It examines the specific vulnerabilities of older adults to climate hazards, the systemic exclusion of their perspectives from policy, and the potential for older persons to contribute to climate resilience through traditional knowledge and community-led action.

This report by Ember analyzes the technical potential for rooftop solar expansion in Türkiye, estimating that the country could install at least 120 GW of capacity, which would meet 45% of its 2022 electricity consumption. The study identifies significant opportunities in residential and industrial sectors to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and lower the fiscal burden of electricity subsidies.

This guide, prepared by the Climate Bonds Initiative, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Green Climate Fund, provides a step-by-step framework for corporate issuers to finance their climate transition using thematic bonds. It details the process of creating a credible transition plan, selecting appropriate debt labels—such as green, sustainability, or sustainability-linked bonds—and establishing a sustainable financing framework to ensure alignment with the Paris Agreement goals.

The 'Global Landscape of Climate Finance 2023' executive summary reports that average annual climate finance flows reached nearly USD 1.3 trillion in 2021/2022, nearly doubling from 2019/2020 levels. Despite this growth, current flows represent only about 1% of global GDP and remain heavily concentrated in a few geographies and sectors, primarily mitigation in energy and transport. The report emphasizes a massive gap between current flows and the estimated annual needs, which are projected to rise from USD 8.1 trillion to over USD 10 trillion by 2031-2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

This report by Ember analyzes global power sector emissions and electricity generation for the first half of 2023, noting that emissions plateaued due to a historic decline in hydropower output that offset gains from wind and solar growth.

This case study examines how Gogoro transitioned from a stealth startup to a global leader in light electric vehicle (EV) battery swapping by employing an 'emergence strategy.' The company focused on the two-wheeled urban scooter market, utilizing a combination of technical innovation, open battery standards, and diverse business models to scale rapidly across multiple countries.

This briefing by RMI analyzes the potential for the Great Lakes region to lead the electric vehicle (EV) and battery supply chain. While the region possesses historical automotive strengths and significant R&D capacity, it faces competition from the 'Battery Belt' in the Deep South and gaps in state-level industrial policies. The document outlines the four stages of the supply chain—upstream, midstream, downstream, and reuse/recycling—and provides a gap analysis of regional policies compared to federal initiatives, urging Great Lakes states to coordinate on strategic coordination, production incentives, and end-of-life regulations to maintain competitiveness.

This research paper analyzes the dynamics of Zimbabwe's August 23, 2023, general elections, focusing on the contest between incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa (ZANU-PF) and challenger Nelson Chamisa (CCC). The author examines the electoral system, campaign strategies, and the systemic barriers facing the opposition, while highlighting the election's significance for Zimbabwe's international re-engagement and its role in the global critical minerals market.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the design choices and trade-offs associated with Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs). It describes BCAs as measures intended to prevent 'carbon leakage' by ensuring imported goods face carbon costs equivalent to domestic production, thereby supporting the integrity of domestic carbon pricing. The document outlines key decision points for policy-makers, including the scope of trade flows, geographic exemptions, emission categories (Scopes 1, 2, and 3), calculation methods for embedded emissions, and the allocation of generated revenues.

This guide by Zero Carbon Analytics explains the role of heat pumps in decarbonising buildings and industry, detailing their technical operation, economic viability, and the policy barriers to their global adoption.

This report by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines the potential impacts of the G7 Climate Club on African countries. While acknowledging the goal of achieving global net-zero emissions by mid-century, the author argues that the Club's current design—particularly its focus on rapid decarbonisation and carbon-leakage reduction—could undermine African economic growth, energy security, and industrialisation. The report calls for a co-designed approach that prioritises climate justice, technological transfer, and financial support over trade-based sanctions.

The July 2023 report 'Pedal to the Metal' by Global Energy Monitor assesses the global iron and steel plant fleet, highlighting a critical gap between current capacity developments and the decarbonization targets required for net-zero emissions by 2050. While there is a growing shift toward Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) technology, the continued expansion of coal-based Blast Furnace-Basic Oxygen Furnace (BF-BOF) capacity, particularly in Asia, threatens to lock in high emissions and create significant stranded asset risks.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the disparity between solar energy potential and installed capacity in developing economies, attributing the gap to high costs of capital driven by sovereign and off-taker risks. The authors propose the establishment of a Global Credit Guarantee Facility (GCGF) to de-risk cross-border financing and lower risk premiums for renewable energy projects in Emerging Market & Development Economy (EMDE) countries.

A petition by Rapel and WALHI Jawa Barat addressed to Japanese government officials and financial institutions demanding the suspension of loans for the Cirebon 2 coal power plant and a responsible early retirement of Cirebon 1 in Indonesia.

A statement by 181 organizations and supporters from 27 countries urging G7 nations to cease the promotion and financing of fossil fuel-based technologies in developing countries, specifically criticizing Japan's Green Transformation (GX) policy and the continued public financing of fossil fuels despite previous commitments.

This research paper assesses bilateral climate finance provided between 2016 and 2020 to ten developing countries with low governance scores, identifying a heavy skew toward mitigation and a concentration of funding from Japan to Uzbekistan.

This guide by RMI provides a comprehensive overview of the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain, detailing the four stages of production: upstream (mining), midstream (processing and cell manufacturing), downstream (assembly), and end-of-life. It examines the current global dominance of China, the risks associated with supply chain concentration, and the human rights and environmental challenges inherent in mineral extraction. The document also analyzes US legislative efforts, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, aimed at diversifying the supply chain, increasing domestic production, and ensuring ethical sourcing.

This report assesses power sector data transparency across 39 Asian economies, evaluating them against six criteria: time granularity, publishing lag, geographic granularity, fuel breakdown, ease of access, and additional data. The analysis finds that overall transparency is insufficient to support a coal-to-clean electricity transition in the region, with more than half of the economies scoring poorly.