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The document asserts that meeting the Paris Agreement's goals of keeping warming "well below 2°C" requires a phase-down of coal, oil, and natural gas production. It identifies six primary mechanisms within the UNFCCC framework to achieve this: incorporating supply-side targets in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), planning managed declines in long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies (LTSs), tracking extraction via the global stocktake, providing technical capacity-building support, redirecting finance away from fossil fuel infrastructure, and providing developed-country assistance to developing nations for economic transitions.

The document identifies a gap in sustainability efforts regarding gender and social equity, particularly within SMEs. It argues that gender acts as a 'social stratifier' that limits women's access to education, finance, and leadership, which in turn hinders overall economic and environmental progress. The brief provides a business case for gender equality, noting that closing gender gaps in agriculture and employment could significantly boost GDP and food security. It suggests that the 'green economy' risks excluding women if technical roles in renewable energy and construction remain male-dominated. Recommendations include implementing family-friendly workplace policies, repealing discriminatory laws, and adopting public procurement policies that target female-led micro- and small enterprises.

The document explores the 'cascading' principle, which suggests natural resources should be used for their most valuable purposes for as long as possible before energy recovery. It analyzes the tension in the EU between the bioenergy sector, the forest industry, and environmental NGOs, while critiquing historical 'designated eligibility' approaches to implementation.

The document examines the intersection of gender equality and food security, arguing that gender discrimination is a primary driver of hunger. Through a literature review of 27 articles, it finds that gender-related policies typically have a positive impact on food security, while food security interventions can sometimes constrain women's positions within the family if social norms are not addressed. The brief highlights that women and female-headed households are more prone to food insecurity due to limited access to assets, land, and decision-making power. It calls for gender-differentiated data and a holistic approach to power relationships to ensure that sustainability goals are achieved without leaving women and girls behind.

The document analyzes the political economy of coal extraction in Colombia, noting that while production grew from 38 Mt in 2000 to 88.6 Mt in 2015, the sector now faces declining global demand and increasing domestic resistance. It details how opponents—including indigenous groups and municipal governments—have shifted from protests to using judicial mechanisms like the 'acción de tutela' and popular consultations to challenge mining titles. In response, the Colombian government and companies (such as Cerrejón and Drummond) have adopted new narratives, linking extraction to peace-building, increasing corporate social responsibility investments, and forming unified business associations like the Asociación Colombiana de Minería. The brief concludes that the sector's historically weak governance has become a liability, and a transition away from coal will require separating the mining sector from oil and gas in public discourse and developing alternative socio-economic pathways.

The LEAP-IBC is an integrated planning tool developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute in collaboration with the US EPA and the University of Colorado. It extends the LEAP software by combining emission scenarios with the GEOS-Chem global atmospheric chemistry transport model and exposure-response functions. The tool allows users to characterize national emissions of greenhouse gases and short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), explore mitigation scenarios, and estimate resulting benefits in terms of avoided premature deaths, reduced crop losses for wheat, rice, maize, and soybean, and changes in global radiative forcing and temperature. While the core LEAP platform is applicable globally, the IBC component is currently available for 71 countries, with 12 countries using it specifically for the Climate and Clean Air Coalition's SNAP Initiative.

The Stockholm Environment Institute and the Swedish Steel Producers Association (Jernkontoret) are creating a methodology and toolbox—a 'societal value compass'—to guide the Swedish steel industry toward its 2050 vision of creating positive societal value. The tool integrates the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with capital theory (natural, real, human, and social capital) to evaluate how industry activities affect broader societal interests. The project involves cross-impact balance analysis of SDG targets, focus group consultations, and the development of a prototype to be tested through topical case studies. This framework aims to enhance the industry's global competitiveness and facilitate communication with investors, employees, and policymakers regarding its contribution to sustainability.

The document outlines the challenges and best practices for implementing the 2030 Agenda in Latin America, emphasizing the need for cross-sectoral institutional structures, subnational engagement, and improved data disaggregation. It highlights the vulnerability of SDG implementation to political cycles and the difficulty of aligning the 2030 Agenda with the Paris Agreement. Key recommendations include incorporating medium-term goals to bridge government cycles and mobilizing private sector resources to fill funding gaps caused by regional recessions.

The document outlines the challenges and best practices for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Latin America, focusing on institutional harmonization, inter-sectoral cooperation, local ownership, and financing. It highlights the risk of political instability affecting long-term goals and the need for better data disaggregation and multi-stakeholder dialogue to move beyond central government control.

The document presents the NDC-SDG Connections tool, developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute and the German Development Institute, which disaggregates 161 NDCs into over 7,000 activities to map their links to the 17 SDGs and 169 targets. The analysis reveals that while NDCs span all SDGs, the strongest connections are in water, food, and energy, whereas social goals like health, education, and gender equality are under-represented. The tool highlights synergies across sectors—such as agriculture linking SDG 2, 6, and 15—but notes that it does not identify trade-offs, which remain an unexplored area for policy-makers.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) provides a suite of tools and analyses to help countries meet their Paris Agreement commitments. Key research highlights include the potential for NDCs to include fossil fuel production phase-downs, the need for better guidance on the 'enhanced transparency framework', and the importance of 'fair shares' in achieving a 1.5°C limit. SEI's technical tools, such as LEAP for energy planning, the NDC Explorer for tracking ambitions, and the NDC-SDG Connections tool, aim to bridge the gap between climate science and national policy. Specific country analyses show that Kenya requires significant investment for low-carbon energy pathways, while sub-Saharan African nations could better leverage private sector investment for agricultural adaptation.

Between 2010 and 2014, the Cook Islands received US$31.4 million in grant-equivalent finance primarily targeting climate change, with 68% allocated to mitigation and 32% to adaptation. New Zealand, the Adaptation Fund, and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) were the largest sources of finance, focusing on solar energy, disaster prevention, and biodiversity respectively. Additionally, between January 2015 and September 2016, the Cook Islands were allocated US$4.3 million from multilateral funds, including US$4.13 million from the GEF for renewable energy.

Between 2010 and 2014, the Federated States of Micronesia received US$ 3.93 million in grant-equivalent finance specifically targeting climate change, with 99.4% (US$ 3.91 million) dedicated to adaptation. Australia was the primary source of this funding, with the largest allocations directed toward environmental research and disaster prevention and preparedness. Additionally, between January 2015 and September 2016, the country received US$ 0.3 million from the Green Climate Fund for readiness support and US$ 0.85 million from the Global Environment Facility for reporting purposes.

Between 2010 and 2014, Kiribati received US$30.5 million in grant-equivalent finance specifically targeting climate change objectives, with a majority supporting mitigation. An additional US$81.7 million in ODA provided climate co-benefits. The primary contributors were Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Global Environment Facility, with funding concentrated in environmental policy and solar energy.

Between 2010 and 2014, the Republic of the Marshall Islands received US$7.9 million in grant-equivalent finance specifically targeting climate change, with the Global Environment Facility and Australia as the primary sources. Mitigation activities received the largest share of this funding (50.8%), followed by adaptation (44.4%).

Between 2010 and 2014, Nauru received US$5.4 million in grant-equivalent finance specifically targeting climate change objectives, with the largest contributions coming from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Australia, and the European Union. Mitigation activities received the highest share of this funding at 50.7% (US$2.7 million), followed by adaptation at 36.1% (US$1.9 million). The GEF's funding focused on biodiversity, Australia's on environmental research, and the EU's on disaster prevention and preparedness.

Between 2010 and 2014, Niue received US$7.4 million in grant-equivalent finance specifically targeting climate change, with the Global Environment Facility and Australia as the primary contributors. Mitigation activities received the largest share of this funding (56.7%), while an additional US$20.9 million in ODA provided climate co-benefits.

Between 2010 and 2014, Papua New Guinea received US$41.4 million in grant-equivalent finance specifically for climate change, with a majority (60.6%) supporting mitigation. An additional US$147.4 million in ODA provided climate co-benefits. Major donors included Australia, Japan, the European Union, and the Adaptation Fund. From January 2015 to September 2016, further allocations were made via the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (US$25 million), the Global Environment Facility (US$2.84 million), and the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (US$3.8 million).

Between 2010 and 2014, the Solomon Islands received US$42.4 million in grant-equivalent finance specifically targeting climate change, with a primary focus on adaptation. Major contributors included the Global Environment Facility, Japan, and the Adaptation Fund, with funding directed toward disaster prevention, forestry, and water policy. Additionally, the country received US$6.70 million for solar power development between 2015 and 2016.

Between 2010 and 2014, Timor Leste received US$102.5 million in grant-equivalent finance specifically targeting climate change, with a strong emphasis on adaptation and water-related infrastructure. Japan, Australia, and the Least Developed Countries Fund were the primary contributors, focusing on irrigation, water and sanitation, and environmental policy respectively.