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This fact sheet by the Climate Bonds Initiative outlines key public sector green bond policy developments in 2017 and projections for 2018. It highlights the rise of sovereign green bonds, the establishment of regional and national guidelines in Asia and Africa, the growth of the green sukuk market in Malaysia, and various financial incentives provided by governments to lower issuance costs and accelerate the transition to low-carbon infrastructure.

This case study examines Bangladesh's position regarding plurilateral trade agreements (PTAs) as it prepares to graduate from least-developed country (LDC) status to middle-income country (MIC) status by 2024. While the government maintains a cautious, neutral stance, the private sector expresses more urgency to join certain agreements to prepare for the loss of LDC trade preferences. The document analyzes the potential impacts of four specific plurilaterals: the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), the Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA), the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), and the Information Technology Agreement II (ITA-II).

The Green Economy Barometer 2017 by the Green Economy Coalition analyzes the global transition toward sustainability, noting a contrast between booming green markets and persistent reliance on fossil fuels and systemic socio-economic gaps.

In 2017, global green bond issuance grew by 78% to reach USD 155.5 billion, driven largely by the US, China, and France. The market saw a significant increase in sovereign and sub-sovereign issuance, including the first African sovereign green bond from Nigeria. While renewable energy remains the most common use of proceeds, there was a notable rise in allocations for low-carbon buildings and energy efficiency. The report highlights a trend toward the diversification of financial instruments, such as Green MBS and Green Sukuk, and an ongoing effort to unify regional green finance standards.

The African Borrowing Charter (2018), published by the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD), is a policy framework designed to prevent unsustainable public debt accumulation in Africa. It establishes guiding principles for debt contraction, management, and transparency, while proposing a robust legal framework and a Fiscal Responsibility Act to ensure that borrowing supports inclusive development and protects future generations.

This executive summary from the 2018 'Brown to Green' report analyzes the progress of G20 countries toward a low-carbon economy. It highlights a significant gap between current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the goals of the Paris Agreement, noting that G20 energy-related CO2 emissions began increasing again in 2017 and that 82% of the G20 energy supply remains dependent on fossil fuels.

This 2018 report by the Climate Bonds Initiative and IFC provides a comprehensive guide for emerging markets to develop green bond markets. It emphasizes the necessity of national guidance to ensure market integrity and alignment with climate goals, while highlighting the success of China's regulatory approach and the innovation of green sukuk in Malaysia and Indonesia. The report introduces a 'Green Bond Market Development Toolkit' to help regulators move from nascent to robust markets through structured milestones and capacity building.

This report assesses progress toward Goal 4 of the New York Declaration on Forests, which focuses on supporting alternatives to deforestation driven by basic needs, such as subsistence farming and fuelwood collection. The document highlights a significant lack of aggregate global data to measure progress, relying instead on proxy indicators like the distribution of clean cookstoves and related financial funding.

The 2018 Progress Assessment Goal 4 Update evaluates efforts to support alternatives to deforestation driven by basic human needs, such as subsistence farming and woodfuel use. While the distribution of clean cookstoves has increased significantly, financial support for woodfuel interventions has declined. The report highlights various regional case studies in the Amazon, West Africa, and Southeast Asia that employ sustainable landscape approaches and community-based management to alleviate poverty and protect forests.

This policy brief from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that biomass is a viable and abundant renewable energy source in Manitoba. It highlights the potential for both traditional and ecological biomass to replace fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide environmental benefits such as nutrient removal from landscapes. The document calls for the Government of Manitoba to support bioenergy markets through financial investment, infrastructure development, and research into high-value bioproducts.

This executive summary from Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) analyzes finance commitments for electricity and clean cooking access in 20 high-impact developing countries, comparing the 2015-16 period to 2013-14. While electrification finance increased, it remains insufficient to meet 2030 goals, and clean cooking finance has declined. The report highlights a significant geographical imbalance, with Sub-Saharan Africa falling behind and a heavy reliance on a few Asian countries for total finance flows.

The 2018 Regulatory Indicators for Sustainable Energy (RISE) report provides a global inventory of policies and regulations supporting Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), focusing on electricity access, clean cooking, energy efficiency, and renewable energy across 133 economies from 2010 to 2017.

The 2018 Energy Progress Report, a joint publication by five custodian agencies, evaluates global progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7). It concludes that the world is not on track to achieve universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030, as current progress falls short across all four SDG7 targets: electricity access, clean cooking, energy efficiency, and the share of renewable energy.

This research paper by WWF South Africa argues that the global transition to a low-carbon economy, driven by the Paris Agreement, creates significant opportunities for South Africa's mining sector. The document details the high material intensity of clean energy technologies—such as solar, wind, and geothermal—and positions South Africa's vast mineral reserves as a strategic advantage for revitalising its extractive industries and re-industrialising its economy through the manufacturing of low-carbon technologies.

This report by WWF South Africa examines the business case for adopting solar thermal technologies in the South African food and beverage industries to replace non-renewable heat sources. It highlights the potential for significant greenhouse gas reductions, job creation in manufacturing and installation, and financial viability for most fuel replacements other than coal.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs reviews the economic impact of Jacob Zuma's presidency, detailing a period marked by corruption, state capture, and economic decline, alongside specific policy successes in healthcare and renewable energy.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the synergy between fossil fuel subsidy reform (FFSR) and the 'just transition' framework. It argues that reforming subsidies not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions and market distortions but also unlocks significant financial resources to support workers and communities affected by the shift to a green economy.

The report "Continuous Improvement" in Illegal Practices in the Peruvian Forest Sector examines how timber exporters in Peru, with government complicity, use "continuous improvement" strategies to bypass transparency and export high-risk timber to markets with fewer restrictions.

The Carbon-Free City Handbook: Biological Resources is a guide by RMI that outlines three primary actions for cities to manage biological resources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: organic waste diversion, urban forestry, and the promotion of plant-based diets.

This World Resources Institute working paper outlines a 'menu of options' for countries to enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by 2020. It argues that current NDCs are insufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C or 2°C and provides practical pathways to increase mitigation ambition, strengthen adaptation plans, improve implementation measures, and enhance transparency and communication.