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This policy brief by the Institute for Economic Justice argues that G20 countries must establish a coordinated, finance-backed roadmap to phase out oil and gas. While G20 nations have expanded renewable capacity, they continue to provide massive subsidies to fossil fuels, creating economic and political barriers to transition. The document highlights the specific role of South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency in leading equitable discussions on subsidy reform and financing for the Global South.

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 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.

The report analyzes three mega-trends shaping the global electricity transition: the exponential growth of solar power and battery storage, structurally higher electricity demand driven by electrification and data centers, and the decoupling of electricity demand from fossil fuel growth in China and India.

This report by Ember and the Clean Air Task Force examines how environmental conditions—specifically cloud cover, terrain roughness, solar elevation, surface brightness, and wind speed—limit the effectiveness of satellite-based methane monitoring. It highlights that approximately 30% of global coal, oil, and gas extraction infrastructure is located in regions where these factors make satellite observation difficult, necessitating a multi-tiered observation strategy that integrates space-based data with aircraft, drones, and ground-based sensors.

This report by Ember and the Clean Air Task Force examines how environmental factors—including cloud cover, terrain, solar elevation, surface brightness, and wind speed—limit the effectiveness of satellite-based methane monitoring. It finds that approximately 30% of global upstream coal, oil, and gas infrastructure is located in regions where these conditions hinder consistent data collection, necessitating a tiered observation system that combines satellites with local measurement technologies.

This report by Ember and the Clean Air Task Force examines how environmental factors—including cloud cover, terrain roughness, sun elevation, surface brightness, and wind speed—limit the efficacy of satellite-based methane monitoring. It highlights that approximately 30% of global upstream coal and oil and gas infrastructure is located in regions where these conditions make spaceborne observations challenging, necessitating a multi-tiered observing system that integrates satellites with near-ground measurement technologies.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that the Fourth Financing for Development Conference (FfD4), scheduled for July 2025, must explicitly include the taxation of natural resources in its agenda to enhance domestic resource mobilization in developing nations.

The report by the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) analyzes the landscape of bilateral and multilateral agreements between African states and global powers to secure critical minerals essential for the green energy and digital transitions. It examines the strategies of twelve key actors—including China, Russia, the EU, and the US—highlighting a trend toward resource diplomacy driven by national security concerns and the need to diversify supply chains away from dominant suppliers.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) synthesizes the climate, sustainability, energy, and climate finance commitments made by G20 member countries from 2008 to 2024. It tracks the evolution of these commitments through various summits, highlighting the shift from general statements to specific frameworks like the Paris Agreement and the challenges posed by inconsistent national policies, particularly those of the United States. The document also details the priority areas for South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency, which emphasizes solidarity, equality, and sustainability.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the evolution of the G20's agenda regarding food systems and global food security. It details the initiatives of various G20 presidencies, the role of international organisations like the FAO and WFP, and the synergies between G7 and G20 priorities. The document specifically outlines South Africa's priorities during its 2024-2025 G20 presidency, focusing on inclusive growth, climate resilience, and the empowerment of women and youth in agrifood systems.

The Production Gap Report 2025 by the Stockholm Environment Institute finds that global fossil fuel production plans are increasingly divergent from the Paris Agreement's goals. Governments are collectively planning higher levels of production for coal, oil, and gas than in 2023, with projected 2030 production exceeding 1.5ºC-consistent levels by more than 120%.

This research paper analyzes the 'magnetic pull' of BRICS, exploring why non-member states seek to join the informal group. It argues that while initial appeal was based on economic credentials and promises of systemic reform, the group has transitioned toward more strategic outreach. The author examines the evolution of BRICS through its 2010 and 2023 expansions and the 2024 Kazan summit, highlighting the role of 'compound soft power' and the challenges of maintaining internal cohesion amidst rapid growth.

A report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) reveals that major oil and gas power plant owners use accounting loopholes in the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol to hide billions of dollars in climate costs. By analyzing five top companies using the Global Energy Ownership Tracker and Climate TRACE data, GEM identified 10.7 million tonnes of undisclosed CO2 emissions for 2022, representing $2 billion in annual social costs.

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2025 evaluates 63 countries and the European Union, representing 90% of global emissions, across emissions, renewables, and climate policy. While renewable energy shares have increased in 61 of the 64 assessed entities over the last five years, the report finds that many high-emitting nations continue to rely on fossil fuels, leaving the top three overall ranks vacant.

This research paper evaluates the alignment between the New Development Bank's (NDB) strategic goals and its actual lending practices from 2016 to 2023. It finds that while the NDB has expanded its mandate to support climate action and sustainable development, it struggles to meet its targets for local currency financing and non-sovereign lending.

This research paper examines the governance challenges of solar radiation modification (SRM), arguing that the current fragmented landscape risks unilateral deployment and the marginalization of the Global South. The authors advocate for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to formally integrate SRM into its agenda, specifically suggesting COP29 in Baku as a starting point to ensure that ethical, social, and justice-based considerations guide the technology's development.

This policy brief by the NewClimate Institute examines the inclusion of non-CO2 emissions (methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases) in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), highlighting a general lack of gas-specific quantitative targets and focusing on the potential for China to increase its ambition in the next NDC cycle.

The November 2024 Warming Projections Global Update by the NewClimate Institute reports that global warming projections for 2100 have stagnated over the last three years. Current policies set the world on a path toward 2.7°C of warming, while the most optimistic scenario, assuming full implementation of all announced targets, projects 1.9°C. The report highlights a critical disconnect between the escalating climate crisis and the urgency of government policy implementation, noting that while renewable energy growth is record-breaking, it is being offset by all-time high fossil fuel subsidies.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the proposal to expand the contributor base for climate finance to include emerging economies. It argues that while some emerging countries already contribute voluntarily, mandating their contributions at the current rate of developed countries would only provide an additional USD 51.19 billion, which is approximately 5.12% of the estimated USD 1 trillion annual need for developing countries. The document emphasizes that developed countries must maintain primary responsibility and calls for clearer definitions of 'developed countries' and 'climate finance' during the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) negotiations at COP29.