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The report evaluates a 2,868-hectare assisted natural regeneration (ANR) project in Sodo Woreda, Ethiopia, finding that it provides direct economic benefits to farmers and delivers climate adaptation and mitigation services. The analysis demonstrates that ANR is an investment-worthy strategy for combating land degradation and enhancing rural resilience, particularly when located upland of cropland to reduce erosion.

The document contends that JETP countries should leapfrog fossil gas to avoid economic volatility and asset stranding, instead leveraging their significant solar and wind resources to improve energy access and ensure a climate-safe transition.

The document assesses the potential for a cross-sector collaboration space in Geneva to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It identifies Geneva's strengths, such as the high density of international organizations and NGOs, but notes barriers including bureaucratic processes and a lack of accessible collaborative spaces in the Nations area.

The document outlines a framework for operationalizing the environment-health nexus in Asia and the Pacific, supporting a regional application of the 2022 global One Health Joint Plan of Action. It emphasizes the need for integrated decision-making across health, biodiversity, food systems, and climate action to protect human well-being and ecosystems. The text also highlights the increasing involvement of civil society health organizations in global biodiversity governance, specifically noting their participation in the 15th UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) to prioritize environmental determinants of health.

The document details findings from various water retention sites in the Canadian Prairies, highlighting the effectiveness of small dams and ponds in reducing peak flow and phosphorus. It emphasizes the need for better monitoring, the potential for nutrient reduction optimization, and the challenges of producer adoption due to land devaluation perceptions.

The document examines the role of Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) in facilitating the shift from fossil fuels to clean energy in five emerging economies. It argues against the use of natural gas as a 'bridging fuel,' citing price volatility, the risk of stranded assets, and methane emissions. Instead, it advocates for 'leapfrogging' directly to renewables, noting that solar and wind are cost-competitive and better suited for expanding energy access in rural areas. The brief emphasizes that a gas-led transition would be economically disadvantageous and inconsistent with the 1.5°C Paris Agreement goal.

The report evaluates 10 water retention projects in Manitoba's Seine Rat Roseau Watershed District, finding that such projects generally provide positive economic returns, particularly for livestock producers. While upfront construction costs are the primary expense, benefits include flood and drought protection, improved water quality, and operational efficiencies. A cost-benefit analysis indicates an average benefit-cost ratio of 3.16 for livestock producers over a 20-year period, though crop-only operations showed lower returns due to high initial costs and fewer on-farm co-benefits.

The report examines the global cocoa market, highlighting the tension between growing demand and climate-related supply risks. It analyzes how VSSs like Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance attempt to improve sustainability and farmer incomes, while noting that power imbalances and low farm-gate prices continue to drive poverty among the 5 to 6 million cocoa farmers worldwide.

The document examines the 'fair and equitable treatment' (FET) standard, a controversial provision found in nearly 95% of international investment agreements. It argues that the vagueness of FET leads to inconsistent interpretations by arbitral tribunals, which can result in 'regulatory chill' for states. The brief analyzes five common treaty formulations of FET and concludes that even 'new-generation' agreements often produce the same unpredictable outcomes as older ones. To mitigate these risks, the authors propose three policy options: excluding FET standards entirely, using alternative terminology like 'fair administrative treatment,' or implementing a strictly defined, closed list of breach conditions that explicitly excludes investor expectations.

The document examines the 'fair and equitable treatment' (FET) standard in international investment agreements, noting its prevalence in nearly 95% of such treaties and its role in 83% of treaty-based arbitrations. It argues that the vagueness of FET leads to inconsistent interpretations by tribunals, which can result in 'regulatory chill' for states. The brief outlines five common formulations of FET and suggests three primary policy alternatives: excluding the FET standard entirely, using alternative terminology like 'fair administrative treatment', or implementing a strictly defined, limited FET standard with a closed list of violations.

The document analyzes the 'fair and equitable treatment' (FET) standard, which appears in nearly 95% of international investment agreements and is the basis for approximately 83% of investor-state arbitrations. It argues that the lack of a precise definition allows tribunals to expand the standard's scope, creating legal unpredictability and 'regulatory chill' for states. The brief details five common drafting approaches—ranging from unqualified FET clauses to those linked to customary international law—and concludes that even 'new generation' treaties often produce the same results as older ones. To protect their right to regulate, the authors suggest three policy options: excluding the FET standard entirely, using alternative terminology like 'fair administrative treatment', or implementing a strictly defined, closed list of violations that explicitly excludes investor expectations.

The document examines how bilateral tax conventions can lead to significant revenue losses for resource-rich developing countries in the mining sector. It analyzes common pitfalls—such as the use of 'treaty shopping' and narrow definitions of immovable property—and provides specific drafting recommendations. Key strategies include adopting the UN Model over the OECD Model, implementing broader definitions of 'immovable property' in domestic law, and creating specific articles for extractive industries to ensure the right to tax indirect transfers and subcontractors.

The Seal River Watershed in northern Manitoba is a 50,000 km2 area that is 99.97% intact and serves as one of Canada's largest free-flowing drainage basins. The report highlights its critical role in biodiversity, storing 1.7 billion tonnes of carbon and supporting species at risk such as polar bears and barren-ground caribou. Economically, the watershed provides at least CAD 214 million in annual ecosystem goods and services (EGS), including ecotourism and caribou harvesting, while the stored carbon is valued at CAD 314.5 billion. The document advocates for the creation of an Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) led by the Sayisi Dene, Northlands Denesuline, Barren Lands First Nation, and O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation to prevent threats from mining, hydroelectricity, and road development. It suggests the Manitoba government implement interim protections, establish a feasibility committee, and provide technical support for Indigenous Guardians programs.

The report identifies Geneva's high density of international expertise and neutrality as key strengths for SDG implementation, but notes that collaboration is hindered by bureaucratic processes, institutional silos, and a lack of accessible, informal gathering spaces. It recommends the establishment of a curated, inclusive, and inspiring physical space in the Nations area to facilitate networking, skills development, and the showcasing of innovations across the public, private, and academic sectors.

The NAP Global Network and Lensational implemented a pilot project in Ghana and Kenya to empower women on the front lines of climate change through photography and storytelling. By training women to document their lived experiences and visions of resilience, the initiative created a common language for dialogue between grassroots communities and policy-makers. This approach shifted the traditional consultation model, allowing women to set the agenda and influence the actions, strategies, and policies within the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes. Following the pilots, the approach is being expanded to Jamaica.

The document argues that the EBRD should sign the Glasgow Statement by COP 27 and implement a robust fossil fuel exclusion policy during its upcoming energy strategy review. It estimates that the EBRD could shift EUR 741 million annually from fossil fuel finance toward a clean and just energy transition. The brief emphasizes that transitioning to clean energy and energy efficiency is the only sustainable solution to the energy crisis and insecurity caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

An analysis of global modelled pathways concludes that new oil and gas fields and new fossil import infrastructure in Europe are incompatible with limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

The document contends that Canada's oil and gas industry, bolstered by windfall profits, should fund its own decarbonization rather than relying on public subsidies. It highlights that current government supports, such as those for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), often fail to yield meaningful emissions reductions and may even enable increased production. The author argues that public funds would be more effectively spent on proven low-carbon technologies like renewable energy and grid electrification to meet Canada's 2030 climate targets and ensure long-term energy security.

The document argues that integrating National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs) reduces duplication and optimizes limited resources. It highlights that biodiversity protection increases ecosystem resilience, aiding human adaptation to climate change, and cites Eswatini, Fiji, Peru, and Rwanda as examples of countries that have successfully linked these strategies to enhance social and ecosystem resilience.

The report argues that global oil and gas production must drop by at least 65% by 2050 to align with 1.5°C scenarios, warning that new oil and gas fields would either prevent this goal or create stranded assets. It finds that planned investments for new fossil fuels through 2030 could instead fully fund the necessary wind and solar expansion. Additionally, the report concludes that Europe possesses sufficient gas import capacities to meet its 1.5°C-compatible demand from 2024 onwards without relying on Russian supply.