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Brazil aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 36.1 to 38.9 percent from a projected baseline by 2020, with a heavy focus on the agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) sector as it is the country's largest emission source. The document evaluates three primary initiatives: the Action Plan to Prevent and Control Deforestation in the Amazon (PPCDAm), which has slowed deforestation but faces challenges from market demand for soy and beef and weak law enforcement; the Action Plan to Prevent and Control Deforestation and Fire in the Cerrado (PPCerrado), which targets a 40 percent reduction in deforestation by 2020; and the Low-Carbon Agriculture Plan (ABC Plan), which saw a significant increase in funded projects from five in 2010-11 to 5,038 in 2011-12. The author argues that policy effectiveness could be improved through better civil society engagement, enhanced monitoring and evaluation, improved inter-institutional coordination, and clearer long-term funding.

The paper evaluates the integration of pro-climate behavior changes in the NDCs of the top 20 emitting countries. It identifies a gap between the emissions reduction potential of certain behaviors—particularly in the food sector—and their actual inclusion in national pledges. The analysis reveals that countries primarily rely on infrastructure and service improvements to drive behavior change, while underutilizing incentives and personalized information.

The document examines the potential for Indian electricity distribution companies (discoms) to implement green tariffs to attract and retain commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers. It notes that current attempts in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have been ad hoc and unsuccessful, contrasting this with the success of tailor-made, consultative green tariff models in the United States. The author argues that for green tariffs to succeed in India, they must involve long-term contracts, regulatory certainty, and a design that accounts for the Indian context of cross-subsidization of residential and agricultural consumers.

The document argues that public economic incentives are essential to scale up land restoration in Latin America, as the up-front costs are otherwise prohibitive for smallholder farmers and the rural poor. It highlights that land degradation costs the region approximately US $52 billion annually, while restoring a single hectare can add $1,140 in economic value. The brief analyzes programs in Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru, calculating payments per tree or hectare to help policymakers optimize these incentives for carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and food security.

The document argues that the auto-rickshaw sector can support sustainable urban transport in India by providing first-and-last-mile connectivity and door-to-door alternatives to private vehicles. To achieve this, it recommends shifting from two-stroke to four-stroke engines to reduce PM10 emissions, implementing separate emission standards for HC and NOx, and improving vehicle design and road infrastructure to enhance occupant safety.

The document argues that multi-stakeholder NBS initiatives, which have already achieved mitigation and sustainability outcomes, are well-positioned to expand their impact by integrating climate adaptation. It highlights that NBS can be more effective and cost-efficient than business-as-usual interventions, particularly for vulnerable and marginalized groups. The paper identifies opportunities for scaling adaptation through better coordination, sharing tools from adaptation-focused organizations, investing in pilots, and leveraging political momentum. However, it notes that these initiatives are hindered by barriers such as limited technical expertise on adaptation and insufficient funding.

The guide outlines strategies to minimize household food waste, including maintaining a refrigerator temperature of 4°C or lower and a freezer at -18°C to slow bacterial growth. It distinguishes between the best-before date (Mindesthaltbarkeitsdatum), which indicates quality, and the use-by date (Verbrauchsdatum), which is critical for safety in fresh products. Additionally, it suggests creative ways to use overripe produce, substitute ingredients, and repurpose vegetable scraps into stocks or new plants.

The analysis concludes that biomass is a limited resource that should play a minor role in energy production, with priority given to carbon removal, chemicals production, and next-generation fuels over crop-based biofuels. It warns that demand for biomass could exceed sustainable supply, potentially leading to land use changes that increase greenhouse gas emissions, and recommends accelerating electrification and energy efficiency to reduce biomass demand.

The study analyzes the adoption potential of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks (HDTs) in China, finding that while regional delivery trucks may become cost-competitive by 2030–34 without policy, long-haul trucking will remain nascent through 2035. It recommends segment-specific targets, such as a 33–57 percent adoption target for regional delivery tractor trailers by 2030, and identifies a 50 percent reduction in road charges as the most effective policy for acceleration.

The report analyzes the challenges and enablers of climate assemblies, arguing that their effectiveness depends on early design decisions and their integration into formal policymaking to move beyond one-off processes.

The document introduces the U.S. Public Sector Protocol, which adapts the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard for government entities. It addresses specific public sector challenges, such as shared resources and leasing arrangements, to help federal, state, regional, and municipal organizations create transparent and consistent GHG inventories.

The document argues that electric school buses (ESBs) improve air quality and reduce operating costs compared to diesel buses, which contribute to respiratory illnesses and school absenteeism. It highlights the Clean School Bus Program (CSBP) as the primary driver of deployment, having announced nearly $3 billion for 966 awards as of June 2024. To sustain progress, the author recommends that the EPA disburse all awarded funds, Congress preserve specific tax credits, and state governments provide complementary funding, infrastructure support, and workforce training.

The forest products industry faces a transition driven by environmental policies and shifting consumer values, offering a unique opportunity to provide sustainable solutions to climate change, including carbon storage. However, the industry remains fragmented regarding appropriate climate policies, and the realization of these market opportunities depends on the establishment of clear, long-term national and international regulatory frameworks.

The paper argues that the international greenhouse gas emissions market must incorporate sound risk-management principles to avoid the types of crises seen in liberalized financial markets, such as the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis. It proposes three specific pillars: transparency and disclosure rules based on Kyoto Protocol and IPCC standards, the sequencing of regulatory policies to ensure eligibility requirements are binding before trading begins, and the creation of a 'liability rule'—such as an 'escrow reserve'—to prevent perverse incentives and excessive risk-taking.

The document argues that while climate action has the potential to reduce social inequalities, these opportunities are currently untapped. It emphasizes that lower-income and disadvantaged populations face the highest barriers to accessing clean solutions and are disproportionately burdened by the costs of climate policies. To achieve a just transition, the paper suggests moving beyond social co-benefits toward the proactive empowerment of underserved groups.

The report analyzes the successes and failures of weapons and trade regimes to provide insights for climate negotiators aiming to limit global temperature increases to 1.5–2 degrees Celsius. It emphasizes that achieving a near-zero-carbon economy by 2050 requires sustained political engagement to resolve conflicts regarding cost, equity, and environmental rigor, specifically concerning emission targets, measurement standards, and verification mechanisms.

The document introduces an Economic Returns Framework designed to evaluate the sustainable development impacts of renewable energy (RE) in India. By calculating the Economic Rate of Return (ERR), the framework aims to move beyond simple financial analysis to include societal costs and benefits, thereby better informing policy choices and aligning RE targets with sustainable development goals. The paper demonstrates this approach by estimating the ERR for wind, biomass, small hydro, and both ground-mounted and rooftop solar power in India.

The paper examines climate change as an issue of injustice, specifically how environmental challenges interact with socio-ecological and economic systems to undermine the rights of poor, marginalized, and vulnerable populations. It analyzes the historical treatment of equity in climate negotiations to identify key issues for a new agreement and explores how climate justice narratives can mobilize domestic demand for climate action.

The document argues that REDD+ programs must integrate legal, financial, and reputational accountability tools to ensure governments meet social and environmental objectives beyond greenhouse gas emission reductions. Drawing on case studies from Brazil and Indonesia, it identifies three primary functions of accountability tools: facilitating negotiations for reform, protecting people and the environment during policy implementation, and enabling the enforcement of agreed rules. The author suggests that REDD+ designers should explicitly include civil society in monitoring and oversight roles and build upon existing, effective laws rather than layering new programs over ineffective ones.

The document establishes corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories as a critical first step for companies to value the climate benefits of green power and manage their energy goals. It examines the business case for these inventories, addresses the question of who should account for emissions reductions, and provides policy recommendations to encourage the corporate use of renewable energy.