Search Climate Insights Directory

This statement argues that current global trade frameworks often hinder the ability of developing nations, particularly in Africa, to pursue low-carbon transitions and climate justice. It highlights the negative impacts of protectionist policies and the breakdown of multilateralism, while proposing that regional initiatives like the AfCFTA and strategic leadership during South Africa's G20 Presidency can create a new trade agenda focused on green industrialization, adaptation, and economic diversification.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the concentration of global plastic polymer production among a small number of countries and companies, highlighting the tension between a majority of nations seeking production reductions and a minority of oil and gas-producing states opposing such measures.

This report by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI), commissioned by the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC), provides an independent assessment of the South African government's progress in implementing 60 presidential commitments made in response to the State Capture Commission (SCC) recommendations. The assessment evaluates progress across individual accountability and systemic institutional and policy reforms, highlighting significant delays in legislative updates and a persistent lack of accountability for members of the Executive.

This report by Ember analyzes national 2030 renewable capacity targets across 96 countries and the EU. It finds that despite the COP28 pledge to triple global renewable capacity by 2030, national targets have remained largely stagnant, collectively amounting to a doubling rather than a tripling of 2022 capacity levels.

This technical guide by RMI analyzes the voluntary carbon market (VCM) for improved rice cultivation, focusing on the transition from invalidated CDM-based credits to more rigorous new methodologies. It details the primary and secondary practices used to reduce methane emissions, evaluates quality risks such as additionality and MRV, and provides guidance for stakeholders to identify high-integrity projects.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues for the 'ring-fencing' of development expenditures in Africa to protect long-term investments from short-term fiscal and political pressures. It identifies a 'perfect storm' of challenges—including trade fragmentation, the 'securitisation' of economic policy, high debt burdens, and technological disruption—that threaten development financing. The document proposes five specific policy mechanisms to institutionalise this protection and suggests that development finance should be framed as complementary to security priorities to leverage international funding.

This research paper examines how the trade war between the US and China, alongside President Trump's critical mineral diplomacy, creates a strategic window for African nations to transition from raw material exporters to green technology manufacturing hubs. It argues that countries rich in minerals like cobalt and lithium can leverage geopolitical competition to secure technology transfer, domestic value addition, and diversified investment portfolios.

The Hong Kong Sustainable Debt Market Briefing 2024 analyzes the performance of sustainable debt in Hong Kong through the end of 2024, highlighting a decline in locally originated debt alongside a significant increase in international GSS+ bond issuance and the launch of the Hong Kong Taxonomy.

This briefing by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute describes the critical mineral supply chain and the United States' efforts to secure domestic sources for its clean energy transition. It details the stages of the supply chain, the U.S.'s high reliance on imports, the environmental and social impacts of mining, and the legislative and executive actions taken to promote onshoring and secondary recovery.

This fact sheet outlines the significant health and economic costs associated with livestock production and meat consumption. It links high red and processed meat intake to increased risks of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, noting that such diets caused 0.9 million deaths globally in 2019. The document also highlights systemic risks from industrial farming, including zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and air pollution. Economically, it estimates that red and processed meat consumption resulted in USD 285 billion in global healthcare costs in 2020. Conversely, it argues that transitioning to plant-based diets, such as the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet, could prevent millions of deaths annually and save trillions of dollars in health and ecosystem costs.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that expanding liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports is a risky economic and environmental strategy for Canada. The authors contend that LNG fails to provide energy security for importers or economic resilience for exporters due to extreme price volatility, high infrastructure costs, and a global shift toward cheaper renewable energy. The document highlights that Canadian projects face significant competitiveness challenges against producers like the United States and Qatar, while importing regions in Europe and Asia are actively reducing their LNG demand.

This research paper examines Morocco's strategic position as a supplier of green transition minerals (GTMs) and its bilateral relationships with China and the European Union. The authors argue that while Morocco benefits from the distinct strengths of both partners—China's industrial scale and speed versus the EU's regulatory standards and capacity building—its current engagement is fragmented. To overcome this, the paper proposes a five-step trilateral framework designed to transform geopolitical competition into pragmatic cooperation, aiming to establish Morocco as a regional hub for green value chains and industrial processing.

A research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzing the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in June 2025 and the subsequent diplomatic response from BRICS members.

The 'Sustainable Debt Global State of the Market 2024' report by the Climate Bonds Initiative provides a detailed analysis of aligned green, social, sustainability, and sustainability-linked (GSS+) debt as of the end of Q1 2025. It tracks cumulative volumes, quarterly trends, and the performance of various issuer types and sovereign nations, highlighting a total cumulative aligned volume of USD 5.9 trillion.

This guide by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides a comprehensive overview of the negotiations for an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) to end plastic pollution. It details the scientific evidence of plastic's impact on human health and the environment, the history of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) process, the contested elements of the proposed treaty, and the diverse interests of national governments and non-state stakeholders.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that investment treaties should be reframed as public risk allocation tools rather than merely legal instruments. It contends that these treaties act as a form of 'unpriced public insurance' that transfers political and regulatory risks from private investors to host states, often without the safeguards or pricing mechanisms found in other de-risking tools.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) examines the intersection of international trade and the sustainable bioeconomy. It provides a typology of trade-related policy instruments—including price-based measures, economic incentives, and regulatory requirements—that governments can use to promote nature-positive economic growth. The document emphasizes the need for international cooperation, particularly through the G20, to align these policies, avoid trade frictions, and support low- and middle-income countries in their transition to a sustainable bioeconomy.

This report by RMI analyzes the global trajectory of electric vehicle (EV) adoption, noting that many markets have passed critical tipping points. It highlights that in the United States, the total cost of ownership for light-duty EVs is now lower than for gas-powered cars, while medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) electric trucks are trending toward cost parity with diesel. The document also discusses the role of battery recycling in potentially eliminating the need for additional mining by 2040.

This report by Ember analyzes the technical and economic feasibility of achieving 24-hour solar electricity generation using solar panels paired with battery storage. It demonstrates that in sunny regions, near-continuous solar power is now cost-competitive, often cheaper than new coal or nuclear power, due to rapid declines in battery costs and the adoption of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) technology.

This policy brief summarizes a high-level roundtable hosted by Ember and the Clean Air Task Force during the 20th anniversary GLOBSEC Forum in Prague. The document argues that Europe must redefine energy security by transitioning from fossil fuel dependencies to clean firm power and electrification, while addressing new vulnerabilities in digital infrastructure and critical raw material supply chains.